“Too” vs. “Very”: What’s the Difference?

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The difference between “too” and “very”

  • As adverbs conveying higher degree or magnitude, "too" suggests something is in excess, while "very" has a more neutral connotation.
  • "Too" implies an unnecessary amount or degree, while "very" simply intensifies something.
  • "Too" suggests a limit being crossed, while "very" does not have this implication.
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What is the definition of “too” and “very”?

Too
  • "Too" refers to something excessive or beyond the desirable limit.
  • It implies that something has gone beyond what is reasonable or necessary.
  • It may suggest that there is a negative consequence as a result of the excess.
Very
  • "Very" is used to intensify the level or degree of something.
  • It means that something surpasses what is normal, average, or expected.
  • It suggests a neutral emphasis that can lean positive or negative depending on the adjective.

Which is the more popular variant on the Internet?

“Very” is the more popular variant on the web.
Too
5,480,000,000 results on the web
Examples
  1. The coffee is too hot to drink right now.
  2. I ate too much pizza last night and now I feel sick.
  3. It's too cold outside to go for a run.
More popular
Very
7,780,000,000 results on the web
Examples
  1. The sunset was very beautiful this evening.
  2. My new puppy is very playful and loves to run around.
  3. The movie we watched last night was very intense and kept us on the edge of our seats.
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