greatly

comparative more greatly · comparative greater · comparative rare greatlier · superlative most greatly · superlative greatest · rare superlative greatliest

1. To a great extent or degree.

   I admire Elvis Presley greatly.

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   Expenses greatly exceeded revenues this year, much to nobody's surprise.

   He was more greatly beloved than anyone in living memory.

   There were many wooden chairs for the bulk of his visitors, and two wicker armchairs with red cloth cushions for superior people. From the packing-cases had emerged some Indian clubs,[…], and all these articles[…] made a scattered and untidy decoration that Mrs. Clough assiduously dusted and greatly cherished.

   1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC

   Terry's goal looked to have put Chelsea in control on the stroke of half-time but Arsenal's response presented a compelling case for Wenger's insistence that reports of his side's demise have been greatly exaggerated.

   2011 October 29, Phil McNulty, “Chelsea 3-5 Arsenal”, in BBC Sport

   Instead of retracing my route, I have elected to walk across Blackpool to the town's remaining large station, although even this has been greatly reduced in size.

   2022 November 2, Paul Bigland, “New trains, old trains, and splendid scenery”, in RAIL, number 969, page 56

   Synonyms: very, drastically, above a bit, absolutely, sorely, widely, horribly, horrendously · Antonyms: slightly

2. archaicNobly; magnanimously.

   His Suff’rings ſhine, and ſpread a Glory round him; Greatly unfortunate, he fights the Cauſe Of Honour, Virtue, Liberty, and Rome.

   1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, →OCLC, Act I, scene i, page 2

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   But all this our fisher, who was neither a poet, nor a dependent, did not know, so he concluded, that all who were truly great, were truly greatly minded, and noble in soul, as they were exalted by birth, and rich in splendour.

   1823, Catherine George Ward, The Cottage on the Cliff: A Sea-side Story, page 251