Dictionary

earnestly en · ADV

Pronunciation

• /ˈɜːnɪstli/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio
• /ˈɝnɪstli/ (General-American)

Etymology

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

Meanings

1. In an earnest manner; being very sincere; putting forth genuine effort.
   • Before long, the unsuspecting salesman was earnestly pitching him "the quietest noisemaker on the market." 1999 April 5, William Safire, “Essay; The Quiet Noisemaker”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 14 Sep 2017:
   • One thing, however, I do most earnestly beg and entreat of you: […] 1954, Plato, translated by Hugh Tredennick, “Socrates on Trial: The Apology”, in The Last Days of Socrates (Penguin Classics), Harmondsworth, Middlesex: Penguin Books, →OCLC, page 19:
   • The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman and the Lion now thanked the Good Witch earnestly for her kindness, […] 1900 May 17, L[yman] Frank Baum, “The Good Witch Grants Dorothy’s Wish”, in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Chicago, Ill.; New York, N.Y.: Geo[rge] M[elvin] Hill Co., →OCLC, page 256:
   • “This the only seat y’all got?” [Dank] Demoss, who also goes by Dajua Blanding, asks earnestly. 2025 February 11, Patrick Reilly, “500-pound rapper suing Lyft over ride denial asks for couch over chair at ‘Breakfast Club’ interview: ‘This is accommodation’”, in New York Post, New York, N.Y.: News Corp, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 12 Feb 2025:

Forms

Synonyms

for real

Translations (9)

fi vakavasti (in an earnest manner) · fr sérieusement (in an earnest manner) · gl seriamente (in an earnest manner) · ro cu seriozitate (in an earnest manner) · la certātim (in an earnest manner) · es encarecidamente (in an earnest manner) · de ernsthaft (in an earnest manner) · ro în mod serios (in an earnest manner) · fi hartaasti (in an earnest manner)