English Reference
Adverb

earnestly

adv.
C1 Advanced US /ˈɝnəstɫi/ UK /ˈɜːnəstli/ earnest·ly

adv.in a serious and honest way. You use this when someone is trying very hard to do something right or to be sincere.

adv.in a sincere, serious, or earnest manner. Often used to describe the manner in which a request is made or a task is performed.


SIMPLE

He asked for my help earnestly.

CONTEXTUAL

The young student applied for the scholarship earnestly, hoping to prove his dedication to the field.

COMPLEX

The committee listened to the testimony earnestly, aware that the witness's sincerity could significantly influence the final outcome of the investigation.

In his post, which has been viewed more than 10 million times, Hubinger said "we really do earnestly believe" AI poses a species-ending risk to humans.

BBC News· 9 Sept 2026

It’s a slick presentation and earnestly performed, with an important story to tell.

The Guardian· 10 Sept 2026

From Middle English ernestly, from Old English eornostlīċe (“earnestly, strictly”), equivalent to earnest + -ly.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Old English eornostlīċe
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Occasional
Updated