German word

äußerst

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈɔʏ̯sɐst/

Meaning

  • adverbextremely

Example

Das Treffen war äußerst wichtig.

The meeting was extremely important.

Illustration for äußerst (extremely)

More examples

Ich fand den Film äußerst unterhaltsam.

I found the film extremely entertaining.

Core concept

A pointer at the outer edge of a scale, signaling intensity at the highest end.

Common phrases

  • äußerst wichtig

    extremely important

  • äußerst hilfreich

    extremely helpful

Similar words

sehr: A common intensifier used to express a high degree across many situations.
wirklich: A conversational intensifier that means really and adds strong emphasis.

Definition in German

in sehr hohem Maße

Word origin

The adverb äußerst developed from the superlative of German äußer, 'outer', a form related to außen, and shifted from outermost position to highest degree.

Usage tips

  • Äußerst is especially common in formal or written German, while sehr or wirklich often sounds more natural in casual speech.

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word