faithfully
Americanadverb
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in a strict or thorough way.
This plan was faithfully carried out to the last detail.
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remaining true to one’s promises, allegiance, affection, or beliefs; loyally.
The old man lived as faithfully as he could, always trying to set an example for younger members of his church.
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in a way that is reliable and can be trusted or believed.
The plant will die back to the ground during a hard freeze; however, it faithfully returns in spring.
In accepting taxpayer funds, the recipient agrees to faithfully account for all monies received from the county.
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in a way that adheres to fact, a standard, or an original.
The tribute band tries to faithfully reproduce the sound, style, arrangement, and instrumentation of the original artist’s recordings.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of faithfully
Explanation
To act faithfully is to behave in a dependable and honorable way. A dog who waits faithfully outside your school until you get out of class is devoted and trustworthy. The adverb faithfully describes an action or behavior that's faithful — in other words, it's steadfast, loyal and reliable. An actor's parents might faithfully attend every play he's in, no matter how small his role is. Your devout uncle might faithfully attend church every single Sunday. In both examples, a person is dependable. The earliest meaning of faithfully was "acting in a way full of (religious) faith," or being pious, especially as a Christian.
Vocabulary lists containing faithfully
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.
Mike Makowsky’s dramatic miniseries “Death by Lightning” faithfully preserves the stirring rhetoric of the man who would become America’s 20th commander in chief.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 17, 2026
Yet my family has been watching it faithfully for nearly two decades.
From Salon • Jun. 15, 2026
"People who followed the rules faithfully now face tremendous uncertainty."
From BBC • May 23, 2026
In Milligan, Roberts faithfully applied the Gingles framework.
From Slate • May 13, 2026
We renewed our friendship and swore to visit each other often, an oath we’ve kept faithfully.
From "Ella Enchanted" by Gail Carson Levine
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.
