What does incredibly mean?
“Incredibly” is an adverb meaning to an extraordinary or surprising degree. It intensifies adjectives, verbs, and statements, as in “an incredibly difficult problem” or “incredibly successful.” The word is common in both formal and informal English and can convey admiration, astonishment, or strong emphasis, depending on context. Its force comes from the related adjective “incredible,” which describes something so remarkable that it seems hard to believe. Because “incredibly” can intensify a broad range of qualities, it is especially useful for describing achievements, difficulties, differences, and degrees of success or failure.
adverbTo an extraordinary or surprising degree; very much so. It is used to intensify an adjective, verb, or statement, often expressing astonishment at how remarkable something is.
- To an extraordinary, remarkable, or surprising degree.
- Used informally to emphasize the intensity of a statement, often with a degree of admiration or astonishment.
"The small team accomplished an incredibly difficult task in only a few weeks."
"Her presentation was incredibly clear and engaging."
"It is incredibly unlikely that the problem will disappear on its own."
One small word can make a remarkable fact feel even bigger: “The invention was incredibly successful.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does incredibly come from?
“Incredibly” was formed in English from the adjective “incredible,” which comes from Latin incredibilis, meaning “not believable” or “remarkable.” That adjective is related to Latin incredere, “to disbelieve,” built from in- and credere, “to believe or trust.” English later developed the adverb “incredibly” with the sense “to a remarkable degree,” alongside related words such as “credible,” “credit,” and “incredulous.”
Related word forms
How incredibly is actually used
Common in both formal and informal English. It often expresses strong admiration, surprise, or emphasis, and can sound emphatic or hyperbolic in everyday conversation.
Easily confused with incredibly
“Incredibly” is an adverb meaning “to an extraordinary degree,” whereas “incredulous” is an adjective describing someone who is unwilling to believe something.