Synonyms

genuinely

American

[jen-yoo-in-lee] / ˈdʒɛn yu ɪn li /

adverb

in a way that is real or true; authentically, honestly, or sincerely.

We encourage children to place themselves in other people’s shoes in order to genuinely understand and empathize with their emotions.
Ada is volunteering on the campaign because she genuinely believes in the candidate’s goals.

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of genuinely

genuine ( def. ) + -ly

Explanation

The adverb genuinely describes something done in a way that's real and true. If your friend is genuinely thrilled about your plan to backpack across China next summer, she means it. When you say something genuinely, you're honest. If you're genuinely worried about your friend getting hurt on her motorcycle, you'll beg her to wear a helmet. One theory about the origin of genuinely is that it comes from the Latin word for "knee," genu, referencing a custom of a father acknowledging his paternity by holding his baby on his knee.

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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.

Genuinely engaging as their real selves could risk total social exclusion or worse.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 24, 2026

“Gutted to hear this. Genuinely a top bloke and such a huge help to up and coming filmmakers,” director Jamie McKee tweeted.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 21, 2024

Genuinely exciting in some ways while understandably stilted in some others, the end result of reviving a beloved film for a new adaptation ends up being a far savvier move than you might expect.

From Salon • Jan. 12, 2024