genuinely
Americanadverb
Other Word Forms
- nongenuinely adverb
- quasi-genuinely adverb
- ungenuinely adverb
Etymology
Origin of genuinely
Explanation
The adverb genuinely describes something done in a way that's real and true. If your friend is genuinely thrilled about your plan to backpack across China next summer, she means it. When you say something genuinely, you're honest. If you're genuinely worried about your friend getting hurt on her motorcycle, you'll beg her to wear a helmet. One theory about the origin of genuinely is that it comes from the Latin word for "knee," genu, referencing a custom of a father acknowledging his paternity by holding his baby on his knee.
Vocabulary lists containing genuinely
A Monster Calls
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Copper Sun
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"The Hunger Games" Vocabulary from Chapter 3
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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.
This was a genuinely awkward moment for a governor who had pitched herself as a pragmatic centrist, and she paid for it in the headlines.
From Salon • Apr. 15, 2026
As Dead City grow beyond the outlaw punk scene, the entertainment industry is enticed yet wary of this genuinely divisive and chaotic band.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026
Greer said the manifesto could "genuinely transform" the country, "so that rather than serving the interests of an incredibly wealthy few, it would actually meet the needs of people and planet".
From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026
"When I saw the incomplete mandibular symphysis, I was genuinely excited," says Professor Benoit.
From Science Daily • Apr. 14, 2026
Only after she genuinely faints during a session, rather than perfectly executing the choreographed dramatic swoon, does he relent to a respite at their home in New York.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
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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.