genuinely

American  

[jen-yoo-in-lee] / ˈdʒɛn yu ɪn li /

adverb

1. in a way that is real or true; authentically, honestly, or sincerely.

   We encourage children to place themselves in other people’s shoes in order to genuinely understand and empathize with their emotions.

   Ada is volunteering on the campaign because she genuinely believes in the candidate’s goals.

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Other Word Forms

• nongenuinely
  adverb
• quasi-genuinely
  adverb
• ungenuinely
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of genuinely

genuine ( def. ) + -ly

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.

Example Sentences

From there, you ask: Is something genuinely different this time that would make the current valuation sticky?

From MarketWatch • May 12, 2026

“Children,” she notes in “The Well-Educated Child,” “can intuit how you feel about them,” which is “why we hired people who genuinely loved kids.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026

"A new era is about to start. The Sahel will one day regain normal governance" with democratically elected leaders who "genuinely care about their people", he added.

From Barron's • May 11, 2026

There are specific times when it’s a genuinely appropriate word to use, one that covers ground no other adjective can.

From Salon • May 10, 2026

It was not an impolite laugh because he genuinely thought the man was making a joke.

From "The Very, Very Far North" by Dan Bar-el

Related Words

• absolutely
• actually
• authentically
• certainly
• fairly
• honestly
• indeed