honestly

adverb

hon·​est·​ly ˈä-nəst-lē 

1

: in an honest manner: such as

a

: without cheating

counted the ballots honestly

b

: really, genuinely

was honestly scared

c

: without frills

food honestly prepared

2

: to be honest : to tell the truth

honestly, I don't know

Synonyms of honestly

• frankly
• actually
• really
• indeed

Examples of honestly in a Sentence

Officials counted the votes honestly.

The bank has always dealt honestly with me.

I can honestly say that I have never seen that man before today.

He spoke honestly about the mistakes he had made.

She honestly believes that she has been mistreated.

Recent Examples on the Web

Swift paired her shirt with Area jeans, a Dior bag, and Versace heels, and honestly, who would expect anything less than a full and friend-accessorized ’fit from the pop star on such a momentous night in Knicks history? —Emma Specter, Vogue, 11 June 2026

The failure is not only one of policy, but of execution — compounded by a political culture increasingly unwilling to measure outcomes honestly, to welcome scrutiny, or to honestly confront evidence that favored approaches are failing. —Michele Steeb, Oc Register, 10 June 2026

But honestly, that $250 off (in this economy) is hard to beat. —K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 9 June 2026

The possibilities felt endless and, honestly, overwhelming. —Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 8 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for honestly

• dishonestly

Kids Definition

honestly

adverb

hon·​est·​ly ˈän-əst-lē 

1

: in an honest manner: as

a

: without cheating

counted the votes honestly

b

: actually, genuinely

was honestly scared

2

: to be honest : to tell the truth

honestly, I don't understand it