so
So (adv) means to a great or specified extent; very. Example: “I was so tired I fell asleep on the train.”
How to use so
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishOne of the most common small words in English — used to intensify ("so tired"), to show a result ("so we left"), or just to open a sentence ("so, anyway...").
Word forms
more so comparative, sos plural, most so superlative
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
I was _____ tired I fell asleep on the train.
Etymology
From Middle English so, swo, zuo, swa, swe, from Old English swā, swǣ, swē (“so, as, the same, such, that”), from Proto-West Germanic *swā, from Proto-Germanic *swa, *swē (“so”), from Proto-Indo-European *swē, *swō (reflexive pronomial stem). Cognate with Scots sae (“so”), Saterland Frisian so (“so”), West Frisian sa (“so”), Dutch zo (“so”), German Low German so (“so”), German so (“so”), Danish så (“so”), Norwegian Nynorsk so (“so”), Swedish så (“so, such that”), Faroese so (“so”), Icelandic svo (“so”), Old Latin suad (“so”), Albanian sa (“how much, so, as”), Ancient Greek ὡς (hōs, “as”), Urdu سو (sō, “hence”).
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “so” mean?
The word “so” means to a great or specified extent; very. In plain terms, one of the most common small words in English — used to intensify ("so tired"), to show a result ("so we left"), or just to open a sentence ("so, anyway...").
How do you pronounce “so”?
“So” is pronounced soh (/soʊ/ in IPA).
How do you use “so” in a sentence?
Here is “so” used in a sentence: “I was so tired I fell asleep on the train.”
What is another word for “so”?
Words with a similar meaning to “so” include really, truly, that, very, this and yea.
What part of speech is “so”?
Depending on how it is used, “so” can be an adverb, a conjunction and an intj.
Is “so” a common word?
“So” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “so” have?
“So” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to a great or specified extent; very.
What is the difference between "so" and "very"?
Both intensify, but "very" is a neutral measure ("very tall"), while "so" adds emotion or points towards a result ("so tall that he ducked through doorways"). In formal writing, a bare "so" ("It was so good") can read as conversational; "very" or a stronger adjective often works better.
Is it bad style to start a sentence with "so"?
Starting with "so" is grammatical and very common in speech, where it eases into a statement or signals a conclusion. In formal writing it can look like filler when it adds no meaning, so editors often cut an opening "so" unless it genuinely means "therefore."
What is the difference between "so" and "such"?
"So" modifies adjectives and adverbs on their own ("so beautiful," "so quickly"), while "such" comes before a noun phrase, with or without an adjective ("such a beautiful day," "such nonsense"). The rule of thumb: "so + adjective," but "such + (adjective) + noun."
Example sentences
Real-world examples showing so in context, drawn from published sources. Any opinions expressed are those of the original source and do not reflect the views of FreeDict.com.
A new study documents two cases of orcas ramming sunfish so hard that the fish explode.
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