sincere

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adjective sin·cere \sin-ˈsir, sən-\

Definition of sincere

sincerer

;

sincerest

1a : free of dissimulation : honest a sincere interestb : free from adulteration : pure a sincere doctrine sincere wine
2 : marked by genuineness : true

sincerely

adverb

sincereness

noun

See sincere defined for English-language learners

See sincere defined for kids

Examples of sincere in a Sentence

He sounded sincere in his promises.
She seemed sincere in her commitment to finish school.
She has a sincere interest in painting.
He showed a sincere concern for her health.
He made a sincere attempt to quit smoking.
Please accept our sincere thanks.

Recent Examples of sincere from the Web

The country that Trump had accused of orchestrating 9/11 one year earlier wasn’t launching an economic war against Qatar to assert its regional hegemony, but rather, out of sincere desire to combat Doha’s tacit support for terrorism.

— eric levitz, Daily Intelligencer, "Report: UAE Orchestrated Qatar Feud by Spreading Fake News," 17 July 2017
While feeling Elgin is sincere in its contentions, Panichi said there are more than 50 vacancies now in Randall Point buildings and there have been two foreclosures in recent years.

— mike danahey, Elgin Courier-News, "Commission against memory care facility in Elgin business park," 11 July 2017
Adam gives a sincere and nonsensical toast about true love.

— elizabeth logan, Glamour, "'The Bachelorette' Season 13 Episode 7 Recap: Swiss Swiss," 10 July 2017
Over-the-top comedic performances are balanced out by deeply sincere scenes of sorrow and horror in the shadows of the meat industrial complex.

— annalee newitz, Ars Technica, "New Netflix film Okja is sci-fi satire so sharp it will cut you," 9 July 2017
My Auschwitz video has been removed, and my sincere apology for any unintended pain is extended.

— drew broach, NOLA.com, "Clay Higgins says he 'feels sorrow,' pulls down Auschwitz video," 5 July 2017
The sequel, Purge: Anarchy delivers on the promise of the original, this time taking the action to the streets, and making a sincere, if heavy-handed, point about class politics in the U.S. in the process.

— tom philip, GQ, "6 Deeply American Horror Movies to Watch This Holiday Weekend," 30 June 2017
MaryBeth Searles, manager of marketing and public relations at Witham, said that in addition to a constant quest for improvement, the company also shows sincere dedication to staff.

— stephanie walden, Indianapolis Star, "At Witham, top-tier care comes with the comfort of community," 28 June 2017
And appointing a woman at the highest level of the company would signal that the company is sincere about changing its culture.

— arjun narayan, Fortune, "Why Ruth Porat Should Be Uber’s Next CEO," 24 June 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of sincere

Middle French, from Latin sincerus whole, pure, genuine, probably from sem- one + -cerus (akin to Latin crescere to grow) — more at same, crescent

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1533

See Words from the same year

Synonym Discussion of sincere

sincere, wholehearted, heartfelt, hearty, unfeigned mean genuine in feeling. sincere stresses absence of hypocrisy, feigning, or any falsifying embellishment or exaggeration. a sincere apology wholehearted suggests sincerity and earnest devotion without reservation or misgiving. promised our wholehearted support heartfelt suggests depth of genuine feeling outwardly expressed. expresses our heartfelt gratitude hearty suggests honesty, warmth, and exuberance in displaying feeling. received a hearty welcome unfeigned stresses spontaneity and absence of pretense. her unfeigned delight at receiving the award