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Synonyms

really

American  
[ree-uh-lee, ree-lee] / ˈri ə li, ˈri li /

adverb

  1. in reality; actually.

    to see things as they really are.

  2. genuinely or truly.

    a really honest man.

  3. indeed.

    Really, this is too much.

interjection

  1. (used to express surprise, exasperation, etc.)

really British  
/ ˈrɪəlɪ /

adverb

  1. in reality; in actuality; assuredly

    it's really quite harmless

  2. truly; genuinely

    really beautiful
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

interjection

  1. an exclamation of dismay, disapproval, doubt, surprise, etc

  2. an exclamation of surprise or polite doubt

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of really

First recorded in 1400–50; real 1 ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )

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.

“And then there were a couple of large incidents that brought to the forefront that these lakes are really dangerous lakes.”

From The Wall Street Journal

At Nowruz, he and his wife "just looked really down and helpless", says Sina.

From BBC

Young told Rolling Stone that, naturally, some folks were really angry that she’d canceled her tour.

From Los Angeles Times

“It’s really important for us to tell our stories.”

From Los Angeles Times

"I think I went a bit blank, if I'm very honest. She can't really be saying these words to me. This is a tummy bug," she said.

From BBC

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.