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.
This will only lead to unproductive conflict − and, honestly, that's what a lot of narcissists want anyway. — Charles Trepany, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026 Parks honestly thinks the Crusaders have the chops to win back-to-back state titles. — Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026 Other commenters requested a coffee table book of Larsson's makeup, which is honestly a genius idea. — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 14 Aug. 2026 And part of it, honestly, is that soft-landing narratives are sticky. — Jason Kirsch, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 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 21 Aug. 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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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