geradezu
downright
An adverb used to intensify a statement, meaning 'almost', 'directly', or 'really'. It often expresses surprise at the extent of something.
EXAMPLE
Seine Forderung war geradezu unverschämt.
His demand was downright outrageous.
geradezu
downright
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Meanings
Usage tips
Word structure
The word is made up of 'gerade' (straight) and 'zu' (toward). You can imagine it as a movement that goes 'gerade auf etwas zu' (straight toward something), reaching the goal directly and without detours, which explains its intensifying meaning.
EXAMPLE
Seine Antwort war geradezu genial.
His answer was downright brilliant.
Sentence structure and use
'Geradezu' (downright) almost always stands directly before the adjective or noun it is meant to intensify. It emphasizes the degree of, or surprise about, a quality.
EXAMPLE
Die Stille in der großen Halle war geradezu unheimlich.
The silence in the large hall was downright eerie.
Typical combinations
'Geradezu' (downright) is often used to emphasize strong or extreme qualities. Typical combinations are 'geradezu unglaublich' (downright unbelievable), 'geradezu lächerlich' (downright ridiculous), or 'geradezu perfekt' (downright perfect).
EXAMPLE
Für diese kleine Wohnung verlangt er einen geradezu lächerlichen Preis.
For this small apartment, he is asking a downright ridiculous price.
Compare with
geradezu vs fast
almost
Fast describes actually approaching a borderline case without quite reaching it. Geradezu, by contrast, intensifies the extreme degree and often expresses surprise. Fast works for “beinahe” (almost), while geradezu is used for an especially strong, surprising effect.
geradezu
Die Nachricht war geradezu unglaublich und überraschte alle.
The message was downright unbelievable and surprised everyone.
fast
Die Nachricht war fast unglaublich, aber sie stimmte nicht ganz.
The message was almost unbelievable, but it was not quite true.
In real life
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