It means "almost" or "close to."

For example, if you ask your friends:

"Are you guys done shopping?"

And they reply with 

"Pretty much, yeah."

It means they are almost done, with a few small things left to do or buy. 

A more advanced explanation is that whatever you are talking about is close enough for the purposes of your conversation. 

For example, if my brother gives me a complex explanation of something (like a political position), and I summarize it to make sure I understand, he can say "Pretty much," which means I'm close enough in my description. 

Hope that helps!

Hello, "pretty much" is an expression that can mean two things. One is that the person is attractive in a sincere way. The other expression which is most commonly used is to say "yes, basically" For example if someone says, Are you busy all day today? you can respond by saying "pretty much".

I have traced it back to an early usage, and I cannot be sure if it is the Origin of the use of PRETTY for VERY, but here is what I found.

In the essay "Fenimore Cooper's Literary Offenses" by Mark Twain, 1895, the famed American author Mark Twain uses PRETTY as an adjective, when he ought to have written VERY. That essay was written in 1895, and it shows how far back in American culture this misuse of the language was acceptable.

So if you find yourself saying "Pretty Much" when you should have said "Very Much" don't worry about it; but it does not hurt to know that using VERY as an adjective is the appropriate action.

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Hey Malorie:

 I am sure glad you    asked about this usage in English.

  PRETTY is a miscommunication  in English.  PRETTY, for practical purposes,  means Beautiful and nothing more.  However,  it has been misused  in the English language for well over 100 years.

   If you ask;  "How are you?"   someone may answer;  "Pretty Good" or  "I feel Pretty Good!".

   I can hardly watch TV and see a documentary or news  show   without some person   referring to something as:

PRETTY SCARY,  PRETTY DIFFICULT,  PRETTY AWFUL,  PRETTY MUCH IMPOSSIBLE,

PRETTY  SHOCKING....

   All of which is a misuse of the English Language. The correct grammar would to the use of VERY, as in:

 Very Scary,  Very Difficult,  Very Good,   Very Awful,   Very Much Impossible,  Very Shocking.

    It is unfortunate, but students of English from foreign countries cannot escape this ubiquitous  error in English.

In fact, it so bad and so pervasive in   American Culture, that I even use  it almost without thinking!

.

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Pretty much can mean "à peu près ou pratiquement" in fench, for example:

It is pretty much the same thing==Fr==> C'est à peu prés/pratiquement la même chose.

Bonne continuation ==Good luck