honestly

adverb

hon·​est·​ly ˈä-nəst-lē How to pronounce honestly (audio)
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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Leaders who can answer these questions honestly can start to create the conditions for a culture of trust, initiative, and sustainable high performance. Mark Murphy, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025 Food is not safe, in good condition, unadulterated, and honestly presented. Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 July 2025 That’s a 61% discount on a speaker that might honestly be cooler than all of us combined. PC Magazine, 28 July 2025 Mothers are honestly warriors, everyday superheroes. Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 28 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for honestly

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of honestly was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Honestly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/honestly. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

honestly

adverb
hon·​est·​ly ˈän-əst-lē How to pronounce honestly (audio)
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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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