truly

American  

[troo-lee] / ˈtru li /

adverb

1. in accordance with fact or truth; truthfully.

   Whatever his faults, he lived a life that can be truly said to be significant.

2. legitimately; by right.

   Those assets and properties are no longer truly his.

3. really; genuinely; honestly.

   We're truly sorry for the delay.

4. to the fullest extent or degree.

   The property should be viewed to truly appreciate all it has to offer.

5. to a great extent or degree.

   The film is littered with some truly dreadful sequences.

6. sincerely (a conventional term used at the end of a letter).

   Yours truly, Allan Burns.

7. exactly; accurately; correctly.

   The clock runs truly.

8. rightly; properly; duly.

   To truly worship God, we must know Him and not be ignorant of His glorious nature.

9. indeed; without doubt; verily.

   Truly, she is a fair-haired angel.

10. Archaic. faithfully; loyally.

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truly British  

/ ˈtruːlɪ /

adverb

1. in a true, just, or faithful manner

2. (intensifier)

   a truly great man

3. indeed; really

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Etymology

Origin of truly

First recorded before 1000; Middle English treuli, Old English trēowlīce; tru(e) + -ly ( def. )

Explanation

Truly is an adverb that means "in truth" or "really." You would say, "That is truly beautiful" or "It was truly a beautiful wedding." When you're truly sick, you're really sick. When you're truly sorry, you're sincerely sorry. A truly odd story is extremely strange or bizarre. A truly scary movie is terrifying. This word has to do with things that are actually or absolutely so. It's also used as a closing in letters. Instead of "Sincerely" or "Sincerely yours," many people write, "Yours truly" or "Very truly yours." The idea is: "I really mean this; you can trust me."

Example Sentences

"Despite the limited work done so far, we can already say that Wogan Cavern is a truly remarkable site," he said.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

I’ve been here before, but I am truly excited.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026

“I have no intention of leaving the Board until the investigation is well and truly over with transparency and finality,” Powell told reporters at the Fed’s March press conference.

From Barron's • Apr. 15, 2026

Powell also told reporters at that time that he has “no intention” of leaving the Fed’s board of governors until the DOJ’s investigation is “well and truly over, with transparency and finality.”

From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026

He truly did have a really nice smile, one that lit his eyes, making him appear open and trustworthy.

From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows

Related Words

• absolutely
• actually
• definitely
• exactly
• genuinely
• honestly
• legitimately
• positively
• rightly
• sincerely
• surely
• very