Meaning & use
vastly
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Meaning
adverbnot comparable
By a very large amount; used to stress how big a difference, change or degree is.
Grammar: Goes before an adjective, comparative or some verbs: vastly different, vastly improved.
Patterns
- vastly different
- vastly more something
- vastly improve
The two brothers are vastly different in temperament.
Her cooking has vastly improved since she started taking lessons.
Prices in the capital are vastly higher than in the countryside.
Common combinations
- vastly different
- The two cities are vastly different in size and mood.
- vastly superior
- The new model is vastly superior to the old one.
- vastly improved
- After the repairs, the road was vastly improved.
- vastly outnumbered
- The defenders were vastly outnumbered by the attackers.
- vastly overrated
- Many critics found the film vastly overrated.
- vastly more
- Online shopping offers vastly more choice than a small store.
Synonyms and how they differ
- enormously
- Enormously is close in meaning and works with more verbs, while vastly is mostly used for comparisons and differences.
- hugely
- Hugely is more informal and spoken than vastly.
- immensely
- Immensely often expresses feeling or appreciation, as in immensely grateful, whereas vastly stresses size of difference.
- considerably
- Considerably is more moderate in strength; vastly implies a gap that is very large.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: vastly or fastly?
vastly vs fastly
Fastly is not a standard word; the adverb of fast is fast. Vastly is a real adverb meaning to a great extent.
Practice
Which sentence uses vastly naturally?
Choose one answer.
Vastly intensifies adjectives and comparisons, so vastly different is natural. It does not combine with ordinary action verbs like sang, waited or arrived.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “vastly”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.