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:
Christodoulides' spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said the pair held "a substantive and sincere discussion" and expressed hope it would lead to concrete developments by the year's end when Guterres's mandate ends.
From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026
Lyrically, Charli disavows cigarettes and writes sincere apologies for her past mistakes.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
It added, however, that those who left the group and wished to return to the Roman Catholic Church would be welcomed back "with sincere affection".
From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026
“I appreciate that they go up there with nothing, just a mic and their wits. By comparison, you seem painfully sincere as a songwriter. I like that uncomfortable shift.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2026
“Admiral Faucet, I regret to inform you that my husband is indisposed. He has sent a note for me to give you expressing his sincere regrets. Here it is.”
From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood
“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
Jean Paul Richter, Jean Paul the Only One, as he was fondly called, was immeasurably sincerer than his master.
From A History of the Four Georges, Volume II by McCarthy, Justin
No politeness could have been more elegant than the manner and expression of this old peasant, and certainly nothing could have appeared sincerer or kinder.
From Pencillings by the Way Written During Some Years of Residence and Travel in Europe by Willis, N. Parker
"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
"My sincerest and heartfelt condolences continue to remain with the families of both teenagers through this unimaginably difficult time," he added.
From BBC ● Feb. 21, 2026
Life-altering in the sincerest sense of the word, “The Mother Lode” comedically chronicles Rosebud Baker’s journey into motherhood, in real time.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 10, 2025
"On behalf of Durham Constabulary I wish to publicly offer my sincerest apologies to those victims and their families for those failures," she said.
From BBC ● Nov. 12, 2025
Please accept my sincerest apology for my disrespectful behavior in not attending the opening ceremony.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
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.
