Earnestly
What it means
With genuine seriousness and a clear wish to be understood.
Reach for it when describing sincere speech or effort without irony
Jon earnestly asked the committee to hear the tenants before voting.
Words to choose between 5
| everyday |
|
|---|---|
| warm | |
| formal | |
| literary |
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everyday
seriously
Fits when the absence of joking needs to be explicit
Careful The word can also intensify annoyance and does not guarantee good faith.
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warm
Fits when truthfulness of feeling matters most
Careful Sincerely can close a routine message and may carry less purposeful intensity.
-
warm
Fits when full commitment accompanies the action
Careful A measured request can be earnest without involving total commitment.
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formal
solemnly
Fits when ceremony or moral gravity shapes the delivery
Careful Solemnly adds heaviness that may distort a hopeful, candid appeal.
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literary
intently
Fits when focused attention is observable
Careful Intently describes concentration and leaves sincerity unproved.
Opposites 3
- insincerely
- flippantly
- halfheartedly
Common phrases 3
-
earnestly hope
I earnestly hope the revised route restores safe access for everyone.
-
earnestly believe
The trustees earnestly believe the archive belongs in public hands.
-
speak earnestly
Ravi chose to speak earnestly about the mistake and its consequences.
Word family 1
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Dvortygirl, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Updated