honestlyhon‧est‧ly /ˈɒnəstli $ ˈɑːn-/ ●●○ S3 adverb 
I honestly don’t know how old my parents are. I can honestly say that I never worry about him now.2spoken used when you are shocked or annoyed by something someone has said or done SYN really: Honestly! Do you ever listen?3spoken used to try to make someone believe that what you have just said is true: It wasn’t me, honestly!4in an honest way SYN truthfully: Tell me honestly, Kate, what do you think of John? We talked openly and honestly. ‘No, I don’t,’ she answered honestly.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Honestly, it makes no difference to me where we have the wedding.
- Honestly, they didn't hear that from me.
- He needs to talk honestly with Billie.
- I honestly don't know.
- I honestly don't think we'll be in court all day tomorrow.
- I can't believe people honestly teased you about that.
- I was going to give you it back, honestly.
- Oh honestly! I don't know why I even bother.
- Please fill out the questionnaire as honestly as possible.
- But then, she admitted honestly, so could she!
- Dorothy and I love the city, although our children have quite honestly had some problems.
- He honestly thought it was all right.
- How could she honestly make this pigheaded man see sense?
- I honestly can't think of anything we wanted that this holiday didn't provide.
- I don't honestly know why he agreed to do the film, except that all he wanted was a fifteen-minute death scene.
- I knew it was wrong but I honestly could not make myself say yes to that man.
Longman Language Activatorways of saying that something is really true
spoken · Is your cousin really a movie star?· It's all so long ago now, it's difficult to believe that any of it really happened.· "She's leaving her husband, you know." "Really?"
spoken say this to emphasize that someone should believe what you are saying: · I was going to give you it back, honestly.· I honestly don't think we'll be in court all day tomorrow.· Honestly, it makes no difference to me where we have the wedding.
use this to emphasize that you are sincere about what you are saying and really mean it: truly sorry/happy/surprised etc: · I'm truly sorry. I didn't mean to upset you.· For the first time in her life she felt truly happy.truly believe/think etc: · If we truly believe we can win, then we have a very good chance at doing it.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES Did you honestly believe that I’d be stupid enough to do that?
Did you honestly believe that I’d be stupid enough to do that? (=really expect)· Do you honestly expect me to look after the kids while you go on holiday?
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSVERB· But I honestly believe she is dead.· I honestly believe that some of these people really liked us.· I honestly believe she feeds herself to it whenever it demands.· I honestly believe that the majority of them were disposed toward peace.· She says what she honestly believes in a brave, even foolhardy manner.· If you can actually see yourself succeeding and honestly believe that you can succeed, then you will.· I honestly believe there can't be a paper in the world with so much strength in depth photographically.· I honestly believe that's what he thought.
· I can honestly say it was the greatest thrill I have ever experienced.· And having hung around the set for a while, I can honestly say Tea has a lot of male appeal.· Q My son is nine and I can honestly say I can't do a thing with him.· I can honestly say I was not expecting it.· Can he honestly say it now?· Who can honestly say that Essex man was completely misguided?· And can you honestly say you are unaffected?· So I can honestly say that I've never known anyone who's ever played for Leeds.
· I honestly thought he would have forgotten the Marquis of Granby incident.· Do you honestly think your man got shot yesterday in Braintree because the Attorney General was busy with something else?· That's the only time I honestly thought I was going to die.· But she honestly thinks that no one will pay any attention to her after it Is over.· And do you honestly think that I normally allow females to wallop me across the face?· He honestly thought it was all right.· I honestly thought they were going to win.· He honestly thought that it would do so.
WORD FAMILYnounhonesty ≠ dishonestyadjectivehonest ≠ dishonestadverbhonestly ≠ dishonestly
1used to emphasize that what you are saying is true, even though it may seem surprising: I honestly don’t know how old my parents are. I can honestly say that I never worry about him now.2spoken used when you are shocked or annoyed by something someone has said or done SYN really: Honestly! Do you ever listen?3spoken used to try to make someone believe that what you have just said is true: It wasn’t me, honestly!4in an honest way SYN truthfully: Tell me honestly, Kate, what do you think of John? We talked openly and honestly. ‘No, I don’t,’ she answered honestly.