sincerely
Americanadverb
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in a way that is genuine, earnest, or truthful.
We sincerely hope you can accept our apology.
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a conventional term used at the end of a letter.
Sincerely, Mrs. Rose McNair.
Usage
Spelling tips for sincerely The word sincerely is hard to spell because many often miss the second e, as in sincerly, or they include it in the wrong place, as in sincerley. Also, sometimes people may be confused about whether and where the s and c go, as in sinserely or cinserely. How to spell sincerely: The easiest way to remember how to spell sincerely is to start with the adjective sincere. This helps you include the second e in the right place, as sincer would be pronounced quite differently than sincere. Then, you turn sincere into an adverb by adding the typical adverb-forming suffix -ly, resulting in sincerely. To help you remember that sincerely has an s and then a c, keep in mind the phrase "sincere scout." Scout uses an s followed by a c, just like sincere.
Etymology
Origin of sincerely
First recorded in 1560–70; sincere ( def. ) + -ly ( def. ); sincerely def. 2 recorded in 1700–05
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.
“Despite many lessons over several years, unfortunately, I am still unable to express myself adequately in French. I sincerely apologize for this, but I am continuing my efforts to improve,” Rousseau said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026
In any authoritarian regime, there are likely to be some high-ranking members who serve because they sincerely believe they can be a moderating influence.
From Salon • Mar. 24, 2026
We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this change may have caused.
From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026
"MSC sincerely regrets the necessity of this decision, which arises from exceptional circumstances beyond its control."
From Barron's • Mar. 9, 2026
Harry sincerely hoped the artist had imagined the looks of intense pain on their faces.
From "Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets" by J. K. Rowling
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.
