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.
Overall, the quarter showed “growing evidence that Ford is becoming a more profitable, more disciplined and genuinely different company,” he said.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
"We will always support those who genuinely need it", said a spokesman for the Department of Work and Pensions.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
Begin with simple, basic questions that are caring, genuinely curious and not intrusive, says Heather Winslow‑Walker, director of Truist Bank’s Center for Family Legacy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026
“I’m genuinely glad to see organizations at the national level addressing this gap,” said Samara Tricarico, co-founder of the non-profit Endurant Movement, which works with neurodivergent youth.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
He genuinely believed the accusations against him had been a serious misunderstanding and that once officials talked to his family to confirm his alibi, he'd be released in a couple of days.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
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.
