deeply

/ˈdiːpli/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈdiːpli/ (ame, ipa)

deeply — adverb

1. used before adjectives or past participles to mean 'very much' or 'very strongly

1.副詞B1
釋義

used before adjectives or past participles to mean 'very much' or 'very strongly' — for example, when someone is deeply worried, deeply hurt, or deeply devoted to a person or cause.

例句

Sirin was deeply moved by the farewell letter from her students.

deeply + past participle: moved, touched, affected

The community felt deeply worried about the rising floodwaters near their homes.

同義詞
  • strongly

    broader; works with opinions, beliefs, and physical force ('strongly disagree'), while deeply is more emotional

  • profoundly

    more formal and literary; suggests a permanent or life-changing effect ('profoundly affected by the tragedy')

  • greatly

    covers both concrete and abstract matters ('greatly improved'); less emotional weight than deeply

反義詞
  • slightly

    opposite degree of intensity; 'slightly worried' vs. 'deeply worried'

  • superficially

    opposite in emotional depth; suggests a surface-level reaction rather than deep feeling

文法句型

deeply + adjective (e.g. deeply worried, deeply grateful)

deeply + past participle (e.g. deeply moved, deeply committed)

deeply + verb (e.g. deeply regret, deeply care)

用法筆記

Most often used before adjectives (deeply grateful, deeply suspicious) and past participles used as adjectives (deeply concerned, deeply rooted). In everyday English, it is less common as a direct verb modifier — 'I deeply regret' is acceptable but somewhat formal.

常見錯誤

❌I was deep moved by the film.
✅I was deeply moved by the film.
💡'deep' is an adjective; add the -ly ending to form the adverb that modifies the participle.

2. going a long way down from the top or outer layer — for instance, when a shovel

2.副詞B1
釋義

going a long way down from the top or outer layer — for instance, when a shovel cuts deep into the ground, an anchor sinks into soft mud, or when you take a full breath of air into your lungs.

例句

The gardener dug deeply into the soil to plant the young tree.

deeply + verb of physical action: dig, sink, bury, plunge

Salma breathed deeply before stepping onto the stage to sing.

同義詞
  • far down

    more literal and descriptive; used as a phrase rather than a single adverb ('pushed it far down')

  • deep

    informal alternative used after certain verbs ('dig deep', 'cut deep'); less common in formal writing

反義詞
  • shallowly

    direct opposite; 'dig shallowly' means staying near the surface

文法句型

deeply + verb of physical action (e.g. dig deeply, sink deeply, breathe deeply)

deeply into + noun phrase (e.g. deeply into the ground, deeply into the water)

用法筆記

Pairs most naturally with verbs of penetration or downward movement (dig, sink, bury, push, plunge, cut). The collocation 'breathe deeply' is the most frequent everyday use of this sense and sits between literal and figurative meaning.

常見錯誤

❌The roots go deep into the soil.
✅The roots go deeply into the soil.
💡Informally, 'deep' is used as an adverb after 'go', but 'deeply' is the standard adverb form in most other contexts.