Synonyms

genuinely

American

[jen-yoo-in-lee] / ˈdʒɛn yu ɪn li /

adverb

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.

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.

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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.

The months zoomed by, the primary drew nearer, and something genuinely surprising happened: Platner solidified himself as the overwhelming favorite for the nomination.

From Slate • Apr. 13, 2026

As the week's lone genuinely dissenting voice, Gore called for a real action plan to map threatened jobs and prepare workers for career transitions, so as not to repeat the mistakes of the globalization era.

From Barron's • Apr. 12, 2026

“It looks and feels genuinely premium both inside and out, and a smooth ride and peppy powertrain make it nice to drive too,” Edmunds’s Counts told MarketWatch.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026

Our critic praised the show, saying “as an honest, comprehensive portrait of a singular, impassioned artist, ‘Wifredo Lam’ is genuinely stirring.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

She perked up like she missed us and was genuinely glad to hear my voice.

From "Gone Crazy in Alabama" by Rita Williams-Garcia

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023