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honestly

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adverb hon·est·ly \ ˈä-nəst-lē \

Definition of honestly

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

See honestly defined for English-language learners

See honestly defined for kids

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Examples of honestly in a Sentence

  1. Officials counted the votes honestly.

  2. The bank has always dealt honestly with me.

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

  4. He spoke honestly about the mistakes he had made.

  5. She honestly believes that she has been mistreated.

Recent Examples of honestly from the Web

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'honestly.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of honestly

14th century

honestly Synonyms

Synonyms
admittedly, forsooth, frankly, actually, indeed, really, truly, truthfully, verily
Related Words
absolutely, certainly, indisputably, indubitably, positively, realistically, undoubtedly, unquestionably, veritably

HONESTLY Defined for English Language Learners

honestly

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adverb

Definition of honestly for English Language Learners

  • : without cheating or lying : in an honest way

  • : in a genuine way : without pretending

  • —used to stress that a statement is true

HONESTLY Defined for Kids

honestly

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adverb hon·est·ly \ ˈä-nəst-lē \

Definition of honestly for Students

1 :without cheating or lying :in an honest manner
  • They made their money honestly.
2 :in a real and sincere way
  • She was honestly scared.
3 —used to stress the truth or sincerity of what is being said
  • Honestly, I don't know how you do it.
4 —used to show annoyance or disapproval
  • Is that your excuse? Honestly!

Learn More about honestly

  1. Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for honestly Britannica English: Translation of honestly for Arabic speakers

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Examples: honestly in a Sentence