Clarity & Style
Limit Excessive Qualifiers

Reduce overused intensifiers like 'very,' 'really,' and 'extremely' that add noise without meaning.

In Clarity & StyleLast updated

What & why

What it is
Excessive qualifiers are intensifiers used so frequently they lose their power. Words like 'very,' 'really,' 'extremely,' 'incredibly,' and 'absolutely' are meant to add emphasis, but overuse makes them meaningless and clutters your message. Choose specific, vivid words instead of stacking qualifiers.
Why it works

Excessive qualifiers suffer from semantic satiation—when intensifiers like 'very,' 'really,' and 'extremely' are overused, the brain stops registering them as meaningful modifiers. They become verbal static that listeners filter out. Worse, stacking qualifiers can backfire: research shows that saying 'very, very important' often signals less confidence than simply stating 'this is critical.' Listeners unconsciously reason that if the content were truly compelling, it wouldn't need so much verbal propping up. Specific details and concrete evidence create far more impact than accumulated adjectives.

Before & after

Before

“This is really, really important and I'm extremely excited about the incredibly amazing results.”

After

“This is critical. The results exceeded our targets by 40%.”

When you’ll use it

Stacking intensifiers: 'very, very important'

Using 'really' as verbal filler: 'I really think we should really consider...'

Overusing 'absolutely' and 'definitely' for routine agreement

Relying on 'incredibly' and 'amazingly' instead of specific descriptions

Pro tip

When tempted to say 'very,' find a stronger word. 'Very tired' → 'exhausted.' 'Very important' → 'critical.' Specificity beats intensity.

Questions & answers

Are intensifiers always bad?

No. Used sparingly, intensifiers add genuine emphasis. The problem is overuse. If everything is 'incredibly important,' nothing is. Save strong intensifiers for moments that truly warrant them.

How do I add emphasis without intensifiers?

Use specific details, comparisons, or stronger verbs. Instead of 'very fast,' say 'completed in half the expected time.' Instead of 'really successful,' share the metric: 'exceeded targets by 25%.'

Learn more

Purdue OWL - Eliminating Words
USC Libraries - Writing Concisely

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