honestly

adverb

hon·​est·​ly ˈä-nəst-lē 

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

• actually
• admittedly
• forsooth
• frankly
• indeed
• really
• truly
• truthfully
• verily

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

From the theme song to the Sunday night Reagan family dinners, it's been a fan-favorite since season one (and honestly could have creatively kept going). —Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 8 Dec. 2024

That rediscovery of a deeper humanity, which comes from collective solidarity [and] collective action, awaits anyone who will look honestly at our situation. —Tim Grierson, Rolling Stone, 7 Dec. 2024

Disputes such as this seem poised to become more common, and to potentially disrupt our ability to honestly perceive the icons of the past. —Michael Waters, The Atlantic, 6 Dec. 2024

And honestly, considering what Hill herself has been posting online, what Dunne is saying seems like a drop in the bucket of the drama. —Lissete Lanuza Sáenz, StyleCaster, 5 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

honestly

adverb

hon·​est·​ly ˈän-əst-lē 

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