massively
B2Pronunciation
UK
- /mˈæsɪvli/
US
- /ˈmæsɪvli/
Description
- To a very great degree
- On a very large scale
- In a big way
- Very much
- To an extreme extent
"Massively" describes something happening on a very large scale or to a very great degree. Think of a band that becomes massively popular and suddenly has fans everywhere. It is stronger than just saying something is "big" or "very." You might say a system was massively improved if it got much better, or that a plan failed massively if it went badly in a big way. The word often suggests a large effect, a high level, or something that reaches many people.
Imagine a small change in a pond and then a huge splash that sends waves far outward. That is the feeling "massively" gives. It points to something happening in a very big way, with a very strong effect, or on a very large scale.
It is an adverb, so it adds force to verbs and adjectives by showing degree or scale. For example, "The company was massively affected by the economic downturn" means the downturn had a very large effect on the company. "The game was massively popular" means it became popular with a great number of people.
It is often used for growth, success, failure, influence, and change. You can say profits rose massively, costs were massively reduced, or a mistake was massively damaging. It can also be used in informal speech to add strong feeling, as in "I was massively relieved." In many cases, it is stronger than "very" because it suggests not just intensity but also size or reach.
The word is common in both everyday speech and formal writing, though the tone can change a little depending on context. In business or news writing, it often highlights large shifts or major impact. In conversation, it can sound more expressive and personal. It also appears in fixed phrases such as "massively multiplayer," where the idea is that many people are involved at the same time.
So, when you want to show that something happened to a very great degree or on a very large scale, "massively" is a natural choice. It gives the sense that the result was not small, local, or mild, but large, clear, and hard to miss.
Examples
- 1
Business growth
The company has grown massively in the last five years.
- 2
Price increases
Prices rose massively after the new tax was introduced.
- 3
Popularity
The new phone was massively popular with teenagers.
- 4
Interior design
Better lighting can massively improve the look of a room.
- 5
Budget problem
The project went massively over budget.
Phrase
over budget
costing more than planned
- 6
Emotional reaction
I was massively relieved when the test results came back normal.
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- massivelyadverb