really
Americanadverb
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in reality; actually.
to see things as they really are.
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genuinely or truly.
a really honest man.
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indeed.
Really, this is too much.
interjection
adverb
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in reality; in actuality; assuredly
it's really quite harmless
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truly; genuinely
really beautiful
interjection
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an exclamation of dismay, disapproval, doubt, surprise, etc
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an exclamation of surprise or polite doubt
Etymology
Origin of really
First recorded in 1400–50; real 1 ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )
Explanation
The adverb really refers to something actual or genuine. If your ring is really pure gold, does that mean he really likes you? Although the actual origin of really is unknown, it was first used in the 15th Century in the Eucharist, referring to the actual presence of Christ, and that definition holds today. Another use of the word, that of a questioning interjection ("Oh, really?"), was first recorded in 1815 and carries with it a sense of disbelief. Oh, really? You're late to work because the bus was attacked by a pack of wild boars? Do you really expect your boss to believe that?
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.
“I really don’t. We expect him to be pitching. ... So I don’t think that our approach to the deadline has changed given these last three weeks with Shohei.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
Cherneff: One letter that really stuck with me was written by a woman named Lucy Lee, who described being freed and immediately being told that her children could not go with her.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
"I believe this extraordinary story could make a really brilliant and successful movie and am now working on the next steps towards its production."
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
If the market experiences a significant downturn, is it really appropriate to withdraw from the traditional IRA or inherited IRA, given that those withdrawals are taxed as ordinary income?
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
“I’ve never really thought about music therapy. Why’d you pick that field?”
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
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.
