incredibly

[ in-kred-uh-blee ]

adverb

1. in a way that is extraordinary, seemingly impossible, or difficult to believe; incredulously:

   Incredibly, we have already raised $750.

2. very; extremely:

   Your hair will be left incredibly soft, supple, and shiny.

   I found the incredibly uncomfortable seats a real distraction—tall people beware.

Usage Note

Incredibly and, somewhat less commonly, incredulously can both be used to mean “unbelievably,” as in It was an incredulously/incredibly expensive flight. They both share the roots of in, meaning “not,” and crēdere, meaning “to believe,” so this shared meaning of “not able to be believed” is rooted in their etymology. Beware, however: they both also have other senses that are not synonyms. Incredibly can mean “very” or “extremely,” but incredulously is not used that way: This is an incredibly exciting moment for me. Incredulously can mean “disbelievingly,” but incredibly is not used that way: She stared at the painting incredulously, skeptical of its veracity .

Word History and Origins

Origin of incredibly¹

First recorded in 1500–10; incredib(le) ( def ) + -ly ( def )

Example Sentences

It wouldn’t relieve this pandemic cloud, but it would be an incredible moment of relief for a nation that has endured a year like no other.

From Ozy

In our online graduation celebration last week, I was overwhelmed by the images of our old familiar life together and the incredible beauty of all those faces.

From MIT Technology Review

If they’re going to find a way to repeat their incredible run from 2019, that shapeshifting is what’s going to carry them across the finish line.

From FiveThirtyEight

This is an incredible technique to create brand awareness not just among the products’ direct buyers, but way beyond.

From Search Engine Watch

He has a number of tools that include incredible bat speed, though he also had some swing-and-miss issues last season as a rookie.

From FiveThirtyEight

That makes it incredibly difficult to determine the effects of airstrikes, for example.

From The Daily Beast

The training, at least as described by the U.S. military, is incredibly basic.

From The Daily Beast

Being the first to declare feelings is incredibly difficult.

From The Daily Beast

The squabble was also immortalized in this incredibly awkward family portrait.

From The Daily Beast

Their new Balmain campaign isn't just extremely off-putting and incredibly up-close; it's also a serious sartorial achievement.

From The Daily Beast

And in the incredibly small and incredibly dirty fastness of the stationmaster, they indeed found a Bradshaw.

From Project Gutenberg

The evening seemed suddenly to become incredibly still, even the voice of the stream ceasing to be a sound distinct.

From Project Gutenberg

It was a golden day, almost incredibly clear and radiant, quivering with brightness and life, and surely with ecstasy.

From Project Gutenberg

In fact, incredibly faster, after his once-a-century contraction of short years before.

From Project Gutenberg

And in an incredibly short time the Pontellier house was turned over to the artisans.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• especially
• fabulously
• strangely
• uncommonly