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.
Anyone who has been to Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station in New York can tell you two things: It’s absolutely stunning and snaking lines are the norm.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
"It's absolutely devastating for the local community and the wildlife," he said.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
“It’s absolutely obscene for somebody to think that they would spend that entire amount, that one budget, on one person,” she said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
"But especially with younger kids, it's been absolutely brutal... I was here last summer, actually, and somehow it actually feels even hotter this year than it did a year ago."
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
If he was there much longer, Hila would absolutely figure it out, and then she’d take the ring back and he’d never, ever get to try it.
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
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.
