profoundly
gb/pɹoʊfˈaʊndli/ us/pɹoʊfˈaʊndli/
B2
English
~ 6700
Senses
0 senses
adverb
B2
property
1
extremely; to a great extent
very much; extremely, often in a strong or serious way
Usage pattern:
profoundly [adjective]; profoundly [affect/change/shape] [someone/something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use *very profoundly* (e.g., *very profoundly sad*). This sounds redundant because 'profoundly' already means 'very' or 'extremely'. It is more natural to say 'profoundly sad' or just 'very sad'. Learners also sometimes use 'profoundly' with everyday light adjectives (e.g., *profoundly nice*), which sounds strange; it is usually used with serious or strong words like 'sorry', 'grateful', 'deaf', 'affected', 'changed'.
Synonyms
deeply (Very common alternative; slightly more emotional in many contexts.)
|
extremely (More general and neutral; lacks the sense of seriousness that 'profoundly' can have.)
|
severely (Often used for negative conditions or problems; emphasizes harm more than depth.)
Antonyms
slightly (Shows that the feeling or change is small, not very strong.)
|
mildly (Suggests that the effect or feeling is gentle or not serious.)
|
superficially (Suggests that something affects only the surface, not in a deep or serious way.)
Collocations
profoundly affected
|profoundly grateful
|profoundly sorry
|profoundly deaf
|profoundly moving
|profoundly different
Themes
emotions
|change
|evaluation
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She was profoundly affected by the news of the accident.
- I am profoundly grateful for all the help you have given me.
- His views on education have changed profoundly over the last decade.
- The new law will profoundly influence how companies operate.
- The child was born profoundly deaf and needed special support.
Learner examples
- The movie profoundly changed how he saw the world.
- He felt profoundly sad after his friend moved away.
- I am profoundly sorry for my mistake.
- Technology has profoundly changed our daily lives.
- Her speech was so powerful that it profoundly moved the audience.
adverb
C1
property
2
in a deeply thoughtful way
in a very serious and thoughtful way, showing deep understanding or strong feeling
Usage pattern:
profoundly [verb] about [something]; speak/think/reflect profoundly
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this sense with the simple meaning of 'very'. If you can replace 'profoundly' with just 'very' without losing the idea of deep thought or serious meaning, the first sense might be better. Use this sense when you want to emphasize depth of understanding or feeling, not just high degree.
Synonyms
deeply (Can also describe thoughtful or serious ways of speaking or feeling, but is more general than 'profoundly'.)
|
seriously (Emphasizes lack of joking rather than depth of understanding.)
|
philosophically (Suggests thinking in an abstract or philosophical way, not always as emotionally serious as 'profoundly'.)
Antonyms
superficially (Describes thought or understanding that only touches the surface of an idea.)
|
shallowly (Suggests weak, simple, or not serious thought or feeling.)
Collocations
profoundly wise
|profoundly insightful
|profoundly spiritual
|profoundly human
|profoundly meaningful
Themes
thinking
|philosophy
|emotions
|education
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She spoke profoundly about the importance of forgiveness.
- The book made him think profoundly about the meaning of success.
- The film is profoundly human, exploring love and loss with great honesty.
- He was profoundly spiritual, yet open to scientific ideas.
- The experience changed her, making her see life more profoundly.
Learner examples
- The teacher asked us to think profoundly about our goals.
- He wrote profoundly about hope and fear.
- Her words were simple but profoundly true.
- After the trip, she understood her parents more profoundly.
- The old man looked at me profoundly and said nothing.
Grammar
Dictionary form
profoundly
IPA
GB/pɹoʊfˈaʊndli/
US/pɹoʊfˈaʊndli/
Syllables & stress
pro - foundly (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (foundly)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: profoundly
- Plural: profoundlies
Word family
Expressions
profoundly affected
1/pɹoʊfˈaʊndli əfˈɛktɪd/
fixed phrase
strongly and deeply affected
to feel a very strong change in feelings, thoughts, or life because of something
Examples
- Many people were profoundly affected by the images of the disaster.
- As a child, she was profoundly affected by her parents’ divorce.
profoundly deaf
1/pɹoʊfˈaʊndli dˈɛf/
fixed phrase
technical
almost totally unable to hear
not able to hear at all, or almost not at all
Examples
- Their son was born profoundly deaf and uses sign language.
- She works at a school for profoundly deaf children.
profoundly grateful
1/pɹoʊfˈaʊndli ɡɹˈeɪtfəl/
fixed phrase
deeply and extremely thankful
feeling very, very thankful in a serious way
Examples
- I am profoundly grateful for your support during this difficult time.
- We are profoundly grateful to everyone who donated.
profoundly moving
1/pɹoʊfˈaʊndli mˈuvɪŋ/
fixed phrase
causing deep strong emotion
making you feel very strong emotions, often sadness or hope
Examples
- The documentary was profoundly moving and stayed with me for days.
- It was a profoundly moving moment when the two families were reunited.
profoundly sorry
1/pɹoʊfˈaʊndli sˈɑɹi/
fixed phrase
deeply and sincerely sorry
feeling very, very bad about something you did or something that happened
Examples
- I am profoundly sorry for the pain I have caused.
- The company said it was profoundly sorry for the mistake.