mightily
B2Pronunciation
UK
- /mˈaɪtɪli/
US
- /ˈmaɪtəli/
Description
- powerfully
- strongly
- greatly
- intensely
- extremely
To do something mightily means to do it with great force or to a very great degree. You might picture a hero in an old story fighting with all their strength, or a storm hitting the cliffs with full power. The word often brings a strong, dramatic feeling. But it is not only used for physical action. Someone can be mightily pleased, mightily annoyed, or mightily relieved, which means they feel that emotion very strongly. It is a vivid way to show strength, effort, or intensity.
The adverb mightily is used to show that something happens with great force, great effort, or to a very high degree. It comes from the word "mighty," so it naturally suggests strength and power. If a river flows mightily after heavy rain, it does not simply move along; it rushes forward with force. In stories, people may fight mightily, struggle mightily, or work mightily, and the word helps the reader feel the size of that effort.
Beyond physical power, mightily is also often used to mean "very much" or "to a great extent." A person can be mightily upset, mightily proud, or mightily impressed. In these cases, the idea is not raw strength but the size of the feeling or reaction. The word appears fairly often in expressive or slightly literary English, and it gives more color than plain words like "very." Whether it describes force, effort, or strong feeling, mightily helps create the sense that something is happening on a large and noticeable scale.
Examples
- 1
Sports effort
The team fought mightily to stay in the match.
Usage
mightily can sound a little literary or old-fashioned in everyday English.
- 2
Strong relief
She was mightily relieved when her son finally called home.
- 3
Strong disagreement
The two brothers disagreed mightily about selling the family house.
- 4
Change over time
This town has changed mightily since I was a child.
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- mightilyadverb