The Problem with "Very"
Mark Twain once said: "Substitute 'damn' every time you're inclined to write 'very'; your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be."
"Very" is a crutch. It adds length without adding meaning. "Very tired" is weaker than "exhausted." "Very happy" is weaker than "elated." Almost every instance of "very + adjective" can be replaced with a single, more precise word.
The Replacement Strategy
Here's the approach: when you catch yourself writing "very," pause and ask what a more specific word would be.
Very angry → furious, livid, incensed
Very tired → exhausted, drained, spent
Very happy → elated, thrilled, overjoyed
Very sad → devastated, heartbroken, despondent
Very important → essential, critical, vital
Very big → enormous, massive, vast
Very small → tiny, minute, minuscule
Very smart → brilliant, astute, sharp
When "Very" Is Fine
Not every instance needs replacing. "Very" works well when you want deliberate understatement or conversational tone. "I'm very sorry" is warmer than "I'm devastated" in most social contexts. The goal isn't to eliminate "very" entirely, it's to use it by choice rather than by habit.
A Quick Editing Exercise
Open your last piece of writing. Search for "very." For each instance, try replacing it with a single stronger word. If the replacement sounds forced or changes the tone in a way you don't want, keep "very." If it sounds better, and it usually will, make the swap.
The difference between adequate writing and sharp writing is often just ten or fifteen word-level choices like this.