positively
Americanadverb
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with certainty; absolutely.
The statement is positively true.
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decidedly; unquestionably; definitely.
His conduct is positively shocking.
interjection
adverb
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in a positive manner
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(intensifier)
he disliked her: in fact, he positively hated her
Etymology
Origin of positively
Explanation
Positively is a word that places emphasis on another word or statement. A positively funny joke is an extremely funny joke. Some words — like very and absolutely — exist mainly to turn the volume up on other things we say. Positively is like that. If your back hurts, you might say, "It's positively killing me!" If you want to see a movie, you might say, "I absolutely, positively must go." Someone might ask, "Are you positively sure you don't want some cake?" if they can't quite believe you don't want some. People use this word to emphasize a point.
Vocabulary lists containing positively
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.
“There are a million directions it can go, positively or negatively. It’s hard not to look like you’re being selfish.”
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026
Had things progressed more smoothly, then perhaps they might have won the series and you'd be looking more positively towards the future, but that hasn't happened.
From BBC ● Jun. 28, 2026
“In the regional arena, it became clear to neighboring countries that they had no choice but to engage positively and constructively with Iran,” according to the newspaper on June 15.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 23, 2026
“Local-currency debt of highly liquid countries that are positively correlated with oil is rare,” Vontobel’s de Sousa says.
From Barron's ● Jun. 22, 2026
He grew to a positively deathly pallor as he said:—
From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker
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.
