really

[Immi666]

I've recently discovered that I use the word "really" and as a writer I'm appalled at my own lack of vocabulary. Can anyone think of any alternative words I could use? I also use completely, insanely, totally and mildly a lot. I'm ashamed with myself :(

[Aquagility]

It sounds as though you use 'really' to mean 'very', in which case you have many alternatives -'extremely', etc.

If you use it to mean 'truly', you could try that for a change. Or 'undeniably' - look up 'true' in a thesaurus.

[Immi666]

thesaurus!! Ha! Thanks aquagility. Don't know where my writer's brain has gone.

[Vesper99]

Ask yourself whether you are adding anything to the sentence by the use of 'really' or any of its alternatives.

[jno]

it depends what sort of writing... if you're creating dialogue for some character who says 'really' a lot, then use it all you like. If it's your own vocabulary you're worried about, I suppose using any one word over and over needs looking at, just for the sake of varying your sentences. The fact that you've noticed suggests you're on the case; the actual replacement words you use don't matter so much. As Vesper suggests, you could almost always lose the word altogether - it's an intensifier that doesn't necessarily add much to the meaning of a sentence - but that might drain a litle colour from your writing.

[firetracie]

Again - it depends on which context you are using the words.

You could substitute - very, totally, definitely, certainly, assuredly, extremely, completely, majorly, profoundly, definitively, surely.

Will keep an eye out on the bookstands!