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

• actually
• admittedly
• forsooth
• frankly
• indeed
• really
• truly
• truthfully
• verily

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

It’s built for immersive gaming but honestly makes everything look cinematic, even spreadsheets. —Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 20 May 2025

The museum trip is lighthearted and honestly just such a beautiful moment between these two. —Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025

And honestly, who can resist anything that pairs up dinosaurs and space?! —Jeff Spry, Space.com, 17 May 2025

Clamps — There are honestly too many variations of clamps to name, from Cardellinis to Mafers, with each having a specific purpose, whether that be holding gels to lights or needing an item held in the perfect position. —Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 17 May 2025

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