earnestly

adverb

ear·​nest·​ly ˈər-nəst-lē How to pronounce earnestly (audio)
: in an earnest and serious manner : not lightly, casually, or flippantly
speaking earnestly
asking earnestly for forgiveness
providing the relief that they had earnestly hoped for
She spoke so earnestly, with such emotion in her voice, that Omakayas was always to remember that moment …Louise Erdrich
They sing contemporary R&B earnestly, like they borrowed it and want to return it in better condition than when they got it.Danyel Smith

Examples of earnestly in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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More cautious than Zora, Ali carries Duncan's past earnestly, and Ali and Johansson have fantastic on-screen chemistry as partners in crime. Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025 These songs’ straightforwardness, especially when performed unornamented and earnestly by Sheeran himself, allow listeners of all stripes to immediately see themselves inside of their big, relatable emotions. Andrew R. Chow, Time, 16 Apr. 2025 In many ways, crypto has become a secular religion for the 21st century, a rare space where young people can gather to earnestly discuss how to improve the world and actually build solutions. Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025 Situated at the family’s dining table with the figurines arrayed before him, Evan earnestly explained each character’s special powers, according to the video game. Jeremy Engle, New York Times, 1 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for earnestly

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of earnestly was before the 12th century

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Cite this Entry

“Earnestly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/earnestly. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.

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