Choosing a greatly synonym starts with asking what grew or shrank. Changes and amounts take considerably, significantly or vastly; feelings and thanks take deeply or very much; huge effects take enormously.
Greatly is an adverb that sits before verbs and past participles: greatly improved, greatly missed, greatly appreciated. It rarely goes before an adjective, which is why "greatly happy" sounds wrong. Each replacement below keeps that grammar in mind.
Swatch at a glance
Best swaps
considerably, significantly, deeply, very much, vastlyPart of speech
AdverbStrongest
immensely, enormously, tremendouslyMost casual
a lot, hugely, massivelyMost formal
substantially, appreciably, markedlyAntonyms
slightly, marginally, somewhatWatch out
Significantly can suggest a statistical result in research writing. Use considerably if you only mean a lot.
Pairing each word with the right verb
| Use | Good swaps | Sample |
|---|---|---|
| Bigger or better | considerably, substantially, significantly | Traffic has eased considerably. |
| A very large effect | enormously, immensely, vastly | The new bridge helped the town enormously. |
| Emotion or thanks | deeply, very much, truly | She is deeply missed by her neighbors. |
| A visible change | markedly, noticeably, sharply | Prices rose sharply in spring. |
| Comparisons | far, much | This laptop is far lighter than mine. |
Note the last row: with a comparative adjective, greatly is awkward. Use far or much instead.
Noticeably up to immensely
Each paint chip up top grows stronger as you move right. Noticeably means you can see the difference. Considerably means it is a fair amount. Substantially adds weight and suits reports. Enormously and immensely describe very large effects and can sound emotional, so they fit praise and thanks better than data.
For more intensity words, compare significantly, extremely and incredibly.
Rewriting greatly appreciated
"Your help is greatly appreciated" is a common sign-off, but it can feel stiff. Lighter versions: thank you so much for your help, I really appreciate your help, or your help means a lot. Warmer versions: I am deeply grateful for your help or your help is much appreciated.
A request to a professor: "Any feedback would be greatly appreciated." A swap that sounds more personal: "I would be very grateful for any feedback." The sentence now has a real speaker, which most readers respond to better than a passive formula.
The appreciate synonyms page offers extra thank-you wording.
Greatly synonym swaps in context
- The plan greatly improved sales becomes the plan improved sales considerably.
- Greatly reduced prices becomes sharply reduced prices or heavily reduced prices.
- He was greatly admired becomes he was widely admired if many people admired him, or deeply admired if it was strong.
- Opinions differ greatly becomes opinions vary widely.
- The town has greatly changed becomes the town has changed dramatically.
- We will greatly miss you becomes we will miss you very much.
Small traps with degree adverbs
Very goes before adjectives, but greatly does not: very kind, not greatly kind. Highly fits certain pairs only, such as highly recommended or highly skilled, so "highly changed" is wrong. Widely means across many people or places, not to a high degree: widely known, not widely improved. Dramatically stresses speed and visibility of change and does not fit feelings. The very synonyms and deeply synonyms pages cover those two in depth.
Antonyms: a little and barely
The opposite of greatly is a small degree: slightly, a little, somewhat and the formal marginally. For almost no effect, use barely or hardly.
- Results improved only marginally.
- The weather barely changed all week.
More adverbs and linking words are listed on the transition words page.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make greatly sound more formal?
Substantially, considerably and markedly all suit reports and academic writing. They describe size without sounding emotional.
How do I replace greatly in greatly appreciated?
Much appreciated is the closest short form. Deeply appreciated sounds warmer, and thank you so much is the friendliest.
Is significantly a safe swap for greatly?
In general writing, yes. In science papers, significantly often refers to statistics, so considerably is safer if you mean a large amount only.
Can greatly go before an adjective?
Rarely. Use very or extremely before adjectives, and far or much before comparatives, as in far better.
Which adverbs mean the opposite of greatly?
Slightly, marginally and somewhat show a small degree. Barely and hardly show almost no effect at all.