as in frankly
to tell the truth
honestly, I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of honestly
This closes a loophole in federal hiring and allows openly political policy roles to be staffed honestly.
—
James Broughel, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
My apology should be just as loud as my actions, honestly louder, to Christian.
—Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 30 Jan. 2026
And, honestly, the glove alone is plenty enough material — at least in Thompson's book.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Jan. 2026
Race and class issues are presented honestly and dealt with reasonably.
—Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for honestly
James Broughel, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
My apology should be just as loud as my actions, honestly louder, to Christian.
—Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 30 Jan. 2026
And, honestly, the glove alone is plenty enough material — at least in Thompson's book.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Jan. 2026
Race and class issues are presented honestly and dealt with reasonably.
—Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for honestly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for honestly
Adverb
-
And, quite frankly, the Patriots do need to blitz to bring pressure, despite having some formidable pass rushers on their defensive line.—
Doug Kyed,
Boston Herald,
25 Jan. 2026
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The film frankly depicts the extreme sub-dom relationship that Erika lures Elliot into, peppered with Araki’s trademark playful-surrealism while committed to a certain, refreshing explicitness.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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The suiting vibe might suggest a classic menswear look, but Bad Bunny’s dapper black and white ensemble was actually based on a womenswear look that first came down the brand’s spring 2023 couture runway in Paris.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
2 Feb. 2026
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Contrary to popular belief, reality television actually boasts some quality storytelling, offering endless entertainment to viewers who are interested in human nature, seeking escapism, or marveling at impressive displays of talent.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Chappell Roan always makes a statement on the red carpet, but this is really something else.—
Pamela Vázquez,
Glamour,
2 Feb. 2026
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He's really trimmed the fat from a lot of his game.—
Scott Fowler The Charlotte Observer,
Arkansas Online,
2 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
But the few lessons learned from January’s whirlwind, and indeed Trump’s previous entanglements with Iran, suggest his military options ahead in the Gulf are limited, and far from great.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
31 Jan. 2026
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Xu took these comments to heart and spent the last two years working on a flying umbrella that did indeed follow him.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Honestly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/honestly. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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