truly

adverb

tru·​ly ˈtrü-lē How to pronounce truly (audio)
1
: in all sincerity : sincerely
often used with yours as a complimentary close
2
: in agreement with fact : truthfully
3
a
: indeed
often used as an intensive
truly, she is fair
or interjectionally to express astonishment or doubt
b
: without feigning, falsity, or inaccuracy in truth or fact
4
: with exactness of construction or operation
5
: in a proper or suitable manner

Examples of truly in a Sentence

These truly dark clusters, if they are real, would betray the universe's dirty secret: Big piles of mass don't necessarily come with lights attached. Robert Irion, Science, 20 June 2003
By the time Columbus arrived, truly large empires existed only in Mexico. Tim Flannery, New York Review of Books, 12 June 2003
The streets and sidewalks of Bedley Run truly seemed as much mine as any person's, their almost affirming solidity underfoot, bouncing me along on my diurnal way. Chang-rae Lee, A Gesture Life, 1999
I truly believe they can do it. He truly enjoyed the concert. This is truly a different situation. A country is not truly democratic until all of its citizens can vote freely. Is this poll truly representative of the voters' intentions?
Recent Examples on the Web What truly sets Audrey apart is her exceptional leadership. Heide Janssen, Orange County Register, 17 Mar. 2024 On that day, many of the thermally fearful may have lost interest in quarreling over whether spring had truly established itself among us. Martin Weil, Washington Post, 16 Mar. 2024 The outdoor activities are where Paws Up truly excels, from family-friendly go-kart racing to an aerial ropes course to cattle drives. Samantha Falewée, Travel + Leisure, 16 Mar. 2024 Critics counter that, while much of what Paris is doing is commendable, particularly the limits on new construction, to truly address the climate crisis requires more than paring back emissions here and there. Catherine Porter, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2024 Similarly, California’s train could be the first truly high-speed service in North America. Joe Mathews, The Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2024 Over many years, tracking has proven just how mobile mountain lions truly are. Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Mar. 2024 For example, a hotel that touts its commitment to abandon single-use plastics or utensils may be missing an opportunity to create a truly sustainable product by also supporting the local population. Christopher Elliott, USA TODAY, 15 Mar. 2024 Game drives and bush walks are part of the package, of course, but consider signing up for a hot air balloon safari to truly woo your other half. Chris Schalkx, Vogue, 15 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'truly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3b

Time Traveler
The first known use of truly was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near truly

Cite this Entry

“Truly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/truly. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

truly

adverb
tru·​ly ˈtrü-lē How to pronounce truly (audio)
: in a true manner

More from Merriam-Webster on truly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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