sincere
Americanadjective
adjective
-
not hypocritical or deceitful; open; genuine
a sincere person
sincere regret
-
archaic pure; unadulterated; unmixed
-
obsolete sound; whole
Synonym Usage
See earnest 1.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of sincere
First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin sincērus “pure, clean, untainted”
Explanation
Being sincere is being genuine. If someone compliments you on your outfit, but you notice them rolling their eyes when they think you’re not looking, they probably weren't being sincere. If you've been offered a sincere thanks for something you've done, the person is probably really grateful. Sometimes when people say "thank you," they don't always mean it, but when they add the adjective sincere, the emphasis is usually for a very good reason. You may hear a charity sending out a sincere thanks to sponsors for their donations, which help keep the charity running.
Vocabulary lists containing sincere
The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 2
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ACT Reading Test: Words to Capture Tone, List 1
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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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.
See Examples For:
Now comes Good Hang, the hit podcast that sends her straight into listeners’ ears without a shred of armor from a fictional character, just a voice that bounds from joyful to subversive to sincere.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026
I’m prepared to believe United CEO Scott Kirby’s concern about wealth inequality is sincere.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 25, 2026
Jordan Firstman’s sincere, funny and genuinely moving debut feature has him playing a queer New York underground party promoter blindsided by the arrival of the 10-year-old son previously unknown to him.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2026
On Tuesday, it emerged she wrote a letter in 2016 to the New York judge in the Pham case describing him as "one of the kindest, honest, most sincere" people she had known.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
There was something rather sincere and pathetic about her going off to a shop in London and buying me these books because she knew I was fond of painting.
From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier
“There is no sincerer love than the love of food,” reads the slip of paper.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 21, 2015
Guarantee us peace," begged Mr. Guinness, "and Germany will find she has no sincerer and no more useful friend in the world than Britain!
From Time Magazine Archive
Another Richmond editorial said, “There will in all the earth be no sincerer mourners than the people of the southern section of this Union.”
From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow
They are really no sincerer than Sackcloth and Ashes.
From Chapters from My Autobiography by Mark Twain
It seems to me that in these matters the sincerer we are, the better it is for all parties.
From The Fourth Estate, vol. 2 by Armando Palacio Vald?s
After Stodden reposted and questioned the clip earlier this week, Alexander said he was "deeply sorry" and offered her his "sincerest apologies".
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
Parody, in this case, is the sincerest form of flattery.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 21, 2026
"What happened today in Teotihuacan hurts us deeply. I express my sincerest solidarity to the people affected and their families," Sheinbaum wrote.
From Barron's ● Apr. 20, 2026
If imitation truly is the sincerest form of flattery, perhaps Americans should take a bow.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 12, 2026
"Your Highness, I hope I have done nothing to offend you, but if I have, my sincerest apologies," Astrid stammers out.
From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton
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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.
