unquestioninglyadv.
/(ˌ)ʌnˈkwɛstʃənɪŋli/, /(ˌ)ʌnˈkwɛstʃn̩ɪŋli/, /(ˌ)ʌŋˈkwɛstʃənɪŋli/, /(ˌ)ʌŋˈkwɛstʃn̩ɪŋli/, U.S. /ˌənˈkwɛstʃənɪŋli/, /ˌənˈkwɛʃtʃənɪŋli/ rare before mid 19th cent.
Without questioning, dissent, or doubt; uncritically, unthinkingly.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > belief > belief, trust, confidence > act of convincing, conviction > [adverb] > without question
suspectlessly1599
unquestionedly1644
implicitly1650
unsuspectingly1656
unquestioningly1677
unsuspiciouslya1812
questionlessly1865
1677 F. Bampfield All in One 7 Many of the Philosophers postulata, which they would have us unquestioningly to suppose, and to take for granted to be evident Truths of undoubted certitude, are manifestly false.
1857 S. Winkworth Life Tauler in Tauler's Serm. 90 Inclined to follow..blindly and unquestioningly their spiritual masters.
1885 G. Meredith Diana of Crossways I. x. 229 There is perpetually the inducement to act the hypocrite before the hypocrite world, unless a woman submits to be the humbly knitting housewife, unquestioningly worshipful of her lord.
1938 A. Bernon Tourtellot Be loved no More iv. 95 The young authoress made her first innocent mistake of relying too unquestioningly on the sympathetic understanding of strangers.
1983 A. Walker In Search of our Mothers' Gardens 147 Through the years, like thousands of others, I followed him, unquestioningly.
2011 Independent 9 May (Viewspaper section) 5/3 But if is crazy to fall for conspiracy theories, is it any less so to unquestioningly accept establishment bulletins?
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2014; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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adv.1677