honestly
UK /ˈɒn.ɪst.li/ · US /ˈɑ.nɪst.li/ adverb, interjection
- adverb (manner) In an honest manner. “He answered the questions honestly.”
- adverb (sentence adverb) Frankly, to be honest. “Honestly, I didn't believe a word she said.”
- adverb (sentence adverb, informal) Expresses mild surprise or hesitation about one's own conclusion.
- interjection Used to express exasperation, dismay, etc. “Honestly! I want to finish this work and you keep interrupting.”
Synonyms
candidly sincerely truthfully as a matter of fact in all honesty in point of fact in truth above a bit actually all things considered by right certainly come to think of it de facto definitely de jure fact is forsooth frankly in actuality aboveboard
Antonyms
Etymology
From Middle English honestly, honestlyche, honestliche, equivalent to honest + -ly.
Webster’s 1913
- adverb Honorably; becomingly; decently. [Obs.] Chaucer.
- adverb In an honest manner; as, a contract honestly made; to live honestly; to speak honestly. Shak. To come honestly by. (a) To get honestly. (b) A circumlocution for to inherit; as, to come honestly by a feature, a mental trait, a peculiarity.
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “honestly”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details