honestly
- 01 B1 Intermediate
in a way that is truthful and sincere.
in a truthful, sincere, or fair manner; without deception.
Simple“He honestly believed that he was doing the right thing for his family.”
In context“The witness swore to answer every question honestly, regardless of how the testimony might affect his reputation in the community.”
SynonymsAntonymsdishonestlydeceitfully - 02 B1 Intermediate
used to emphasize that you are telling your real opinion, even if it is surprising.
used as a sentence adverb to emphasize the sincerity or frankness of a statement.
Simple“Honestly, I don't think the new design is any better than the old one.”
In context“Honestly, the proposed budget seems entirely unrealistic given the current economic climate and the rising costs of raw materials.”
Synonyms
From Middle English honestly, honestlyche, honestliche, equivalent to honest + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.