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

The final exchange is honestly the strangest and teases what’s in store for this week’s SNL episode. — Alicia Urrea, Billboard, 30 Sep. 2026

Perez’s mom has been incredibly touched and honestly overwhelmed by everyone’s generosity. — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 29 Sep. 2026

And asking honestly whether your human capabilities are getting stronger as a result. — Anna Drobakha, Forbes.com, 28 Sep. 2026

David’s Tea’s Mother’s Little Helper This loose-leaf tea has an intense minty, citrusy, and medicinal flavor, which honestly just comes with the territory. — Alex Beggs, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 Sep. 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