sincerity
Americannoun
Related Words
See honor.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of sincerity
First recorded in 1540–50; from the Latin word sincēritās; see sincere, -ity
Explanation
Sincerity is a mix of seriousness and honesty. If you do things with sincerity, people will trust you. Along with patience and compassion, sincerity is one of those qualities we all probably wish we had more of — and wish other people had more of, too. People who show sincerity are being serious, kind, and truthful. Politicians who show sincerity tend to do well because people believe them. An apology full of sincerity will probably be accepted. On the other hand, if you show no sincerity — by being sarcastic or dismissive — well, who wants an apology like that?
Vocabulary lists containing sincerity
Beowulf: A New Telling
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John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address, January 20, 1961
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List 8
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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.
The part that makes it work is his wisdom and sincerity.
From Salon • May 21, 2026
Bettan delivers his song, a lovestruck ballad called Michelle, with sincerity and passion, nimbly moving into his falsetto over a mix of electronic beats and Middle Eastern instrumentation.
From BBC • May 15, 2026
Pacing the stage at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, on the last night of her fall 2025 tour, she traded her typical sardonicism for high-pitched sincerity.
From Slate • May 6, 2026
She manages comedy much better than sincerity but Coiro knows how to work around it, punctuating her big speeches with quick cutaways to comic relief so we don’t dwell on them too much.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026
To reassure each man ofhis opponent’s sincerity, Vanderbilt asked that each put up a forfeit fee of $5,000.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
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.
