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Replace the “very” in your sentence

losethevery.com

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Re: Replace the “very” in your sentence

#61

Post by wizofaus »

alibrarydweller wrote: post #14

"So avoid using the word ‘very’ because it’s lazy. A man is not very tired, he is exhausted. Don’t use very sad, use morose. Language was invented for one reason, boys - to woo women - and, in that endeavor, laziness will not do. It also won’t do in your essays." -- The Dead Poets Society

Great movie but not the best advice - "morose" doesn't even mean "very sad", it means ill-tempered/in a bad mood. I wouldn't even say there is one good word that means "very sad", but "morose" is definitely not it. The site in question came up with "inconsolable", but that's hardly appropriate if you're talking about "very sad news" (after a few attempts it come back with "somber" which at least sort of works in that case, though I'd still struggle to imagine myself telling a friend that their divorce was "sombre news").

Re: Replace the “very” in your sentence

#63

Post by DiggyJohnson »

nomel wrote: post #34
DiggyJohnson wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think this sort of perspective is becoming a bit of a meme. Not every use of longer or uncommon words is for the sake of signalling intellect or w/e. This is just such a negative, juvenile perspective to take if you are deploying it often.

I was referring to the reverse perspective of perceiving intellect, rather than signaling intellect. It definitely happens both ways, but I think it's much more damaging to those who are perceived as being dumb, or whose ideas are not considered, because they're direct/plain. I see this fairly often in meetings. Someone says something very direct and plain, with the root of the problem laid out, but it fails some "co…

Fair enough, and I actually relate and sympathize deeply with the example you gave.

Re: Replace the “very” in your sentence

#64

Post by pjot »

TrevorJ wrote: post #39
protomyth wrote: post #16

very + unique = incomparable Nice, although a rather large group of TV viewers of The West Wing know that "unique means one of a kind, something can't be very unique"[0]. It still amazes me how some of the quotes from that show stick with me all these years later. 0) https://youtu.be/Fvb1e4-YgRE?t=162 or the whole scene https://youtu.be/Fvb1e4-YgRE

The dialogue in that show was fantastic. I'd love to see more shows with that particular sort of stylization. Sorkin is very unique.

Rewatching the show with subtitles on is a treat. I missed so many great lines the first time around.

Re: Replace the “very” in your sentence

#65

Post by moffkalast »

alibrarydweller wrote: post #14

"So avoid using the word ‘very’ because it’s lazy. A man is not very tired, he is exhausted. Don’t use very sad, use morose. Language was invented for one reason, boys - to woo women - and, in that endeavor, laziness will not do. It also won’t do in your essays." -- The Dead Poets Society

Verily

Re: Replace the “very” in your sentence

#67

Post by laristine »

wizofaus wrote: post #61
alibrarydweller wrote: post #14

"So avoid using the word ‘very’ because it’s lazy. A man is not very tired, he is exhausted. Don’t use very sad, use morose. Language was invented for one reason, boys - to woo women - and, in that endeavor, laziness will not do. It also won’t do in your essays." -- The Dead Poets Society

Great movie but not the best advice - "morose" doesn't even mean "very sad", it means ill-tempered/in a bad mood. I wouldn't even say there is one good word that means "very sad", but "morose" is definitely not it. The site in question came up with "inconsolable", but that's hardly appropriate if you're talking about "very sad news" (after a few attempts it come back with "somber" which at least sort of works in that…

I'd just go with heartbroken. Or if we're melodic, melancholy.

Re: Replace the “very” in your sentence

#68

Post by function_seven »

WaitWaitWha wrote: post #47

I ran a few words through and I am not willing to buy into the elimination of very. As noted (very or not) unique and incomparable are not the same. These words have nuanced differences. Every word I checked failed to provide the a proper equivalent. Context matters. very hard is not always demanding very clean =/= sparkling very old =/= ancient very dark =/= bleak

I wish this site would just list all the matches. If you keep clicking the button, it'll cycle (randomly!) through other substitutions.

Sparkling was also immaculate. "Demanding" was also arduous, grueling, backbreaking, and formidable.

Surely one of those would work for replacing "very hard" in a sentence? If not, then use your own imagination. "Complicated", "tedious", "rock hard", etc.

Sometimes you have no choice but to throw a "very" in there. But if you're the type to lean on that word, then it's worthwhile to explore alternatives to avoid boring writing.

Re: Replace the “very” in your sentence

#69

Post by drpixie »

Imnimo wrote: post #48

You have to use a lot of judgment to pare these down, or you'll do more harm than good. "My car is very fast" -> "My car is breakneck" "It's going to be very cold tomorrow" -> "It's going to be Siberian tomorrow" "Those shoes are very expensive" -> "Those shoes are lavish"

Yes - the site (naturally) lacks context and the "translations" lack subtlety.

But their the main point stands strongly ... take the time and devote the thought to choosing the correct word, and you'll produce better prose. Your text will be compact, precise, and more readable.

Re: Replace the “very” in your sentence

#70

Post by Enginerrrd »

nomel wrote: post #34
DiggyJohnson wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think this sort of perspective is becoming a bit of a meme. Not every use of longer or uncommon words is for the sake of signalling intellect or w/e. This is just such a negative, juvenile perspective to take if you are deploying it often.

I was referring to the reverse perspective of perceiving intellect, rather than signaling intellect. It definitely happens both ways, but I think it's much more damaging to those who are perceived as being dumb, or whose ideas are not considered, because they're direct/plain. I see this fairly often in meetings. Someone says something very direct and plain, with the root of the problem laid out, but it fails some "co…

I have seen almost this phenomenon: Some people are able to reduce a very complex problem and its solution down to something so simple that upon hearing it, everyone is immediately convinced of its truth. In fact, it is so self-evident and cannot be seen any other way, that you do not even feel the need to write it down. It may even be dismissed by some as being too trivial an observation to be of much help.

...And then, just a few days later, you find yourself staring at this very problem and all its immense complexity starts looking menacingly at you. Solutions? Ha! how could one possibly even hope to solve such a problem! Except, you recall that someone did. And yet, for the life of you, you wish you could remember what that solution was. Only then can you appreciate its elegance and the genius required to produce it.

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