Meaning & use
verily
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Meaning
adverbarchaicliterary
Used to emphasize that something is true, especially in old-fashioned or religious language.
Grammar: Usually appears at the start or end of a sentence to add emphasis.
Patterns
- verily, ...
- ... verily.
Verily, I say unto you, the truth shall set you free.
He spoke verily of the dangers that lay ahead.
Verily, this is the most difficult task I have ever faced.
Common combinations
- verily, verily
- Verily, verily, I tell you, the kingdom is at hand.
- say verily
- The prophet said verily that the people must change their ways.
- verily believe
- I verily believe he is telling the truth.
- verily spoken
- Those words were verily spoken by the ancient sage.
Synonyms and how they differ
- truly
- More common in modern English and less archaic; use 'truly' in everyday speech, 'verily' only for old-fashioned effect.
- certainly
- Expresses strong confidence without the old-fashioned or religious tone of 'verily'.
- indeed
- Adds emphasis and is neutral in register; 'verily' sounds archaic or biblical.
Commonly confused: verily or verify?
verily vs verify
A verb meaning to check that something is true; not to be confused with the adverb 'verily'.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'verily' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Verily' is an adverb used for emphasis, often at the start of a sentence, as in option B. Option A wrongly uses it as if it meant 'carefully'; option C is ungrammatical; option D uses it as a verb, which it is not.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “verily”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.