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.
One of the country's biggest stars, he brings an air of wounded sincerity to his performance, as he pines for the titular heroine, whose name appears 20 times throughout the song.
From BBC • May 8, 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
Benet’s Michael doesn’t immediately leave us starstuck, but over the course of the musical he steals the show with his vocal prowess and brooding sincerity.
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026
Annette Benning and Ed Harris co-star, so at least Sheridan is — in all sincerity — doing an A+ job of keeping Hollywood’s greatest actors of a certain age employed.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 30, 2026
“I’m so sorry to hear that, sweetheart,” Trina said, her voice full of the deepest sincerity.
From "The Kill Order (Maze Runner, Book Four; Origin)" by James Dashner
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.
