honestly

adverb

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

Synonyms of honestly

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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.
Everyone wants to know where her money comes from and, honestly, same. — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026 Start by honestly assessing whether your organization is open to accepting IT as a partner. — Ken Feyder, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026 If a buyer asks directly whether or not a house is haunted, New Jersey requires that sellers answer honestly. — Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Oct. 2026 And honestly, it's been the other way—influencers have reached out to us for samples or collabs. — Khushbu Shah, Bon Appetit Magazine, 19 Oct. 2026 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

Rhymes for honestly

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Browse Nearby Words

honest living
honestly
honest mistake
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Honestly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/honestly. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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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
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