Meaning 1
With marked force, intensity, or effectiveness.
Reach for it when describing a powerful degree, effect, or sensory impression
The cedar soap smells strongly of resin.
Meaning 2
With firm conviction or persuasive support.
Reach for it when expressing clear endorsement, belief, or evidence
The committee strongly recommends a second safety review.
| Meaning 1 | Meaning 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| everyday |
| |
| professional |
| |
| formal |
everyday
intensely
Fits when concentrated sensation or feeling is the point
Careful Physical force or logical support may be strong without intensity.
professional
Fits when energetic physical or argumentative effort is visible
Careful Evidence can strongly support a claim without doing anything vigorous.
formal
Fits when the effect is forceful and difficult to ignore
Careful Powerfully can overstate a clear but measured influence.
everyday
firmly
Fits when a position is clear and unlikely to change
Careful Firmly says less about the degree of evidence or recommendation.
professional
convincingly
Fits when the result or argument wins belief through merit
Careful A person can strongly assert something that remains unconvincing.
formal
emphatically
Fits when unmistakable verbal emphasis is intentional
Careful A quiet conviction can be strong without emphatic delivery.
feel strongly
Many residents feel strongly about preserving the old market.
strongly recommend
We strongly recommend testing the alarm before departure.
strongly influence
Early rainfall can strongly influence the size of the harvest.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Dvortygirl, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Updated
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