Meaning & use

earnestly

adverb·Everyday

Last updated

In a sincere and serious manner, showing genuine intent or feeling.

See it in a sentence

She earnestly promised to repay the loan as soon as possible.

He worked earnestly to finish the project before the deadline.

A note on using this word

Earnestly comes from Old English eornoste, meaning 'zeal' or 'seriousness of purpose.'

Words with a similar meaning

sincerelyseriously

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

flippantlyinsincerely

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