genuinely

American  

[jen-yoo-in-lee] / ˈdʒɛn ju 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

The best part was that the kid who bought it genuinely loved the car and did all his research about the longevity of these batteries and how best to take care of them.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 12, 2026

Maybe they genuinely didn’t realize what it was, and Platner never learned, as he claims.

From Slate • Jul. 10, 2026

“Hackney Diamonds” is another strong effort, with the banger “Angry” sounding urgent and, well, genuinely angry.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 10, 2026

"We can genuinely say that we are sitting here today feeling immense gratitude for so many things and so many people," Emily Baldoni said.

From BBC • Jul. 9, 2026

For a moment, I’m pulled from the reverie of him, genuinely curious.

From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray

Related Words

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