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.
Such a move would likely be taken positively by the market, Macquarie adds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
Participants also responded positively to the scent itself.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 6, 2026
Teaching unions have responded positively to the idea of introducing career-based learning into schools at a younger age, but have warned about the burden this could place on primary schools in particular.
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026
"We view the conclusion of the proceedings positively: after a long wait, investors can now genuinely turn the corner," said analyst Ausano Cajrati Crivell of Zurcher Kantonalbank.
From Barron's ● Sep. 29, 2026
Caroline was positively glowing, my mother quiet and thoughtful, my grandmother grinning and stealing little peeks at my face.
From "Jacob Have I Loved" by Katherine Paterson
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
