absolutely
Americanadverb
-
without exception; completely; wholly; entirely.
You are absolutely right.
- Synonyms:
- unqualifiedly, totally
-
without doubt or reservation; positively; certainly.
I'll absolutely support your candidacy.
- Synonyms:
- definitely, unequivocally, unquestionably
-
(of a transitive verb) without an object.
interjection
adverb
Etymology
Origin of absolutely
Explanation
When something is absolute, it's total and complete. When something is absolutely the case, it's going to be that way — no ifs, ands, or buts. When you want to be certain that there is no doubt about what you mean, then you say that it's absolutely that way. For example, there is absolutely nothing you can do that will make George Clooney invite you to his house on Lake Como. The moon is absolutely not made of green cheese. When I said that I would absolutely not go to that wedding, I wasn't kidding, and I didn't go. Absolutely can also be an interjection, a statement of emotion, as in, "Am I sure I'm up to it? Absolutely!"
Vocabulary lists containing absolutely
Because of Winn-Dixie
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"Charlotte's Web": Chapter One
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List 7
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Was it slow? Absolutely, but that was because everyone understood these places belong to the people.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026
The lights flash on as Springsteen vocalizes, finishing the sentence: “War! What is it good for? Absolutely nothing.”
From Salon • May 28, 2026
"Absolutely astonishing," says Friederike Otto, professor of climate science at Imperial College London.
From BBC • May 26, 2026
“Have Steve and I disagreed? Absolutely we have.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026
Absolutely silently, she begins to slip out of the closet.
From "Before We Were Free" by Julia Alvarez
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
