earnestly
Americanadverb
Etymology
Origin of earnestly
First recorded before 1000; earnest 1 ( def. ) + -ly
Explanation
You'd feel terrible laughing at the goofy love song your friend wrote and performed in front of an audience, especially if he sang it earnestly, or seriously and sincerely. If you do something earnestly, you do it in a serious, heartfelt way. You might earnestly promise your friend that you'll never forget her birthday again, or earnestly ask your grandmother if there's anything you can do to help her out while she's recovering from surgery. If you earnestly study for your upcoming French exam, it means you're really buckling down to learn those vocabulary words. The Old English root of earnestly is eornost, which means "seriousness or serious intent."
Vocabulary lists containing earnestly
"The Landlady" by Roald Dahl
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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
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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.
Claiming that Rubio is “just an earnestly funny person” and as an afterthought adding, “JD was spectacular.”
From Salon • Jun. 12, 2026
But her character’s role is somewhat earnestly compartmentalized.
From Los Angeles Times • May 30, 2026
They reportedly scandalized their neighbors with loud music and trash piles and performed the dances that dominated the app ironically rather than earnestly.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026
Japan "has no intention whatsoever of denying or trivialising the existence of the issue", he said, but added that authorities have over the years been "earnestly addressing" diplomatic issues with Korea.
From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026
I know it’s directed at me, and as usual, I can’t quite tell if he’s saying it earnestly or maliciously.
From "Warcross" by Marie Lu
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.
