verily

adverb

ˈver-ə-lē How to pronounce verily (audio)
Definition of verilynext
1
as in honestly
to tell the truth verily, I don't remember a single thing about that course

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in indeed
not merely this but also I shall pay back your loan and verily do so with considerable interest

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of verily All the Eagles, Double Eagles, all that with the Augustus Saint-Gaudens beaux-arts designs and markings that the federal government had verily marketed to the American people for generations had to come back. — Brian Domitrovic, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025 If Man were meant to Fly, verily there would Be no Connections in Atlanta, Chicago, or the Sodom known as LaGuardia. — Ashley Braun, Slate Magazine, 14 July 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for verily
  1. honestly
  2. indeed
  3. actually
  4. certainly
  5. frankly
  6. definitely
  7. really
  8. truly
Adverb
  • Since my job needs me on social media so much, this was honestly the most useful part.
    — Casey DelBasso, ABC News, 14 July 2026
  • To remember Lindsey Graham, Margaret, is honestly to remember his very humble beginnings.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 12 July 2026
Definition of honestly
Adverb
  • Men used to go to war indeed, and in gloriously shot 70mm IMAX at that.
    — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026
  • You indeed are obligated only to invite the neighbors back over eventually.
    — Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 17 July 2026
Definition of indeed
Adverb
  • Although only about 600 homes were built, the district remained obligated to purchase far more water than the community actually uses.
    — Nina Burns, CBS News, 14 July 2026
  • The question, as England prepare to fly to Atlanta today (Tuesday) for tomorrow’s semi-final against Argentina, is how much this actually matters?
    — Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 14 July 2026
Definition of actually
Adverb
  • An Argentina semifinal win now gives Messi the chance — in what almost certainly will be his final match on the World Cup stage —- to make his country the first back-to-back champion since Brazil in 1958 and ‘62.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026
  • Greek goddess-like beauty is certainly having a moment thanks to the cast of Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 15 July 2026
Definition of certainly
Adverb
  • Mary McCarthy gossips more frankly about people Robert Lowell mentions.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 July 2026
  • An East Hampton beach day plus a container of Round Swamp chicken salad is frankly my idea of heaven.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 July 2026
Definition of frankly
Adverb
  • The ladies really do it up, particularly Tamra and Vicki, who definitely hired a makeup artist to make them into the female version of Bad Grandpa.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 17 July 2026
  • DeMarco said there’s no timetable for Satou Sabally (concussion), but a return definitely won’t be prior to All-Star Break.
    — Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 17 July 2026
Definition of definitely
Adverb
  • Because of climate, weather, acorn abundance (yes, really) and decisions about land use dating to colonial times, the bugs are indeed getting worse.
    — Meg Tirrell, CNN Money, 14 July 2026
  • What really took so long was the officials deliberating over the nearest point of relief on the practice ground side.
    — Brody Miller, New York Times, 14 July 2026
Definition of really
Adverb
  • Granny jeans have become a must-have item in 2026, proving that fashion truly is cyclical.
    — René Chávez Esparza, Glamour, 17 July 2026
  • The Perseid meteor shower 2026 is set to be a truly magnificent affair and a stark contrast to last year, when moonlight drowned out all but the brightest shooting stars.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of truly

Browse Nearby Words

verifying
verily
verisimilar
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Verily.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/verily. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 17
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All