adverb
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in an honest manner
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(intensifier)
I honestly don't believe it
interjection
Etymology
Origin of honestly
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English honestli(che) “honorably, respectably; respectfully; fittingly, properly”; see origin at honest, -ly
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.
“I honestly don’t care about competitors, because the only the only people you need to care about are your customers,” Bokhari told Barron’s.
From Barron's • May 27, 2026
“I honestly worry for young people,” Xie said.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 27, 2026
“I’m just honestly blessed to be able to say the number 40. But, yeah, that’s all I can say.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 24, 2026
"I think there's a really nice symbiosis between the two of them, but honestly a lot of it is work, it's connecting off the pitch, it's preparation and it's understanding what they see."
From BBC • May 23, 2026
I honestly don’t believe it smells of socks.
From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
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.
