French word

carrément

Pronunciation

IPA/kaʁemɑ̃/

Meaning

  • adverbtotally

Example

C'est carrément nul.

It's totally awful.

Illustration for carrément (totally)

More examples

Elle a carrément dit non.

She flatly said no.

Core concept

A firm, four-sided mark declaring something total or bluntly definite.

Common phrases

  • carrément impossible

    absolutely impossible

  • carrément mieux

    much better

Similar words

vraiment: Used to say that something is genuinely or truly the case.
complètement: Used to show that something applies to the whole of a thing or situation.
absolument: Used to express firm, unquestioning agreement or certainty.
franchement: Used to express an opinion or feeling openly and honestly.

Definition in French

Employé familièrement pour affirmer qu'une chose est entièrement ou franchement telle, équivalent courant de « complètement ».

Word origin

The adverb was formed from French carré by adding -ment; carré developed from Old French forms descended from Latin quadratus.

Usage tips

  • With a negative adjective, carrément commonly adds strong bluntness, as in C'est carrément nul, rather than merely stating a neutral degree.

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word