truly

adverb

tru·​ly ˈtrü-lē How to pronounce truly (audio)
1
: in all sincerity : sincerely
often used with yours as a complimentary close
2
: in agreement with fact : truthfully
3
a
: indeed
often used as an intensive
truly, she is fair
or interjectionally to express astonishment or doubt
b
: without feigning, falsity, or inaccuracy in truth or fact
4
: with exactness of construction or operation
5
: in a proper or suitable manner

Example Sentences

These truly dark clusters, if they are real, would betray the universe's dirty secret: Big piles of mass don't necessarily come with lights attached. Robert Irion, Science, 20 June 2003
By the time Columbus arrived, truly large empires existed only in Mexico. Tim Flannery, New York Review of Books, 12 June 2003
The streets and sidewalks of Bedley Run truly seemed as much mine as any person's, their almost affirming solidity underfoot, bouncing me along on my diurnal way. Chang-rae Lee, A Gesture Life, 1999
I truly believe they can do it. He truly enjoyed the concert. This is truly a different situation. A country is not truly democratic until all of its citizens can vote freely. Is this poll truly representative of the voters' intentions? See More
Recent Examples on the Web The power of community is truly transformative, and UIGISC is a shining example of this. Jon Stojan, USA TODAY, 2 June 2023 The award recognizes truly outstanding efforts to preserve the Oswego area’s heritage and history, officials said. Beacon-news Staff, Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2023 Historically hosting a range of festivals and events, music is truly within the wine’s DNA. Matt Tighe, Rolling Stone, 2 June 2023 To be a part of Taylor's world and her vision was an honor, truly. Brianne Tracy, Peoplemag, 1 June 2023 With its truly clear waters and white-sand shores, visitors come from all over to enjoy the calm Gulf waters or partake in one of the area's many activities, from parasailing to fishing. Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 1 June 2023 Pick from eight different opulent colors and two album sizes to truly personalize your photo book. Jamie Spain, goodhousekeeping.com, 1 June 2023 And Demna can create truly gorgeous, sophisticated clothes, with the purity of line synonymous with the house. Vanessa Friedman, New York Times, 1 June 2023 Only in a two-man competition will the winner truly reflect the will of most voters. WSJ, 1 June 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'truly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3b

Time Traveler
The first known use of truly was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near truly

Cite this Entry

“Truly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/truly. Accessed 7 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

truly

adverb
tru·​ly ˈtrü-lē How to pronounce truly (audio)
: in a true manner

More from Merriam-Webster on truly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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