genuinely
Americanadverb
Other Word Forms
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.
Justice Kagan’s opinion, tidy and correct as it is, was made even better with Justice Neil Gorsuch’s genuinely strong concurring opinion.
From Slate • Jun. 18, 2026
It could be that all involved genuinely do not know how this will all play out.
From BBC • Jun. 16, 2026
Just choose an olive oil you’d happily use in a vinaigrette and whose flavor you genuinely enjoy.
From Salon • Jun. 16, 2026
"I feel genuinely moved today by the rule of law," Lander told reporters after the verdict.
From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026
Not surprisingly, not all my fellow prisoners were pleased about this special treatment, though my father and David were genuinely happy for me.
From "The Boy on the Wooden Box" by Leon Leyson
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.
