honestly
gb/ˈɑnɪstli/ us/ˈɑnɪstli/
A2
English
~ 1100
őszintén, komolyan
A2
1
őszintén
B1
Usage pattern:
honestly [verb/statement]
I honestly don’t know what happened.
Őszintén szólva nem tudom, mi történt.
She spoke honestly about her mistakes.
Őszintén beszélt a hibáiról.
Honestly, I had no idea you were coming.
He honestly believes he can win.
They answered all the questions honestly.
Learner examples
I honestly don't know the answer.
Őszintén szólva nem tudom a választ.
He honestly thinks it is a good idea.
Őszintén úgy gondolja, hogy ez jó ötlet.
Honestly, I am very tired.
She honestly told me the truth.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'honestly' with 'seriously'; 'seriously' can mean 'I am not joking' but also 'very much', while 'honestly' focuses on truthfulness.
Meaning
in a truthful and sincere way
Collocations
honestly believe
|honestly think
|honestly say
|speak honestly
Synonyms
truthfully (Very close in meaning; slightly more formal.)
|
sincerely (Emphasizes genuine feeling rather than factual truth.)
Antonyms
dishonestly (Direct opposite, meaning 'in a way that is not truthful or fair'.)
Themes
communication
|emotions
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Used to say that you are telling the truth and not lying.
Used to emphasize that what is being said is true and not intended to deceive.
B1
INFORMAL
2
komolyan
B1
Usage pattern:
Honestly, [statement]
Honestly, how could you forget the tickets?
De most komolyan, hogy felejthetted el a jegyeket?
Honestly, I never thought I’d see the day.
Komolyan mondom, sosem hittem volna, hogy ezt is megérem.
That movie was, honestly, the worst I've ever seen.
Honestly, do you think that's a good idea?
Learner examples
Honestly, I don't understand this.
Komolyan, ezt nem értem.
Honestly, why did you do that?
De most komolyan, miért csináltad ezt?
That food was honestly very bad.
Honestly, I can't believe it.
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse 'honestly' in formal writing where it can sound too casual or emotional.
Meaning
used to show surprise or emphasis
Collocations
honestly can't believe
|honestly don't understand
|honestly never thought
Synonyms
really (Similar emphasis, but less connected to truthfulness.)
|
seriously (Can be used similarly, but also means 'without joking'.)
Antonyms
casually (Opposite in tone, without strong feeling or emphasis.)
Themes
emotions
|daily life
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Used to show strong feeling like surprise or anger about something.
Used for emphasis or to express surprise, annoyance, or disbelief.
Grammar
Dictionary form
honestly
IPA
GB/ˈɑnɪstli/
US/ˈɑnɪstli/
Syllables & stress
hon - estly (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (hon)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: honestly
- Plural: honestlies
Word family
Forms
honestlies
noun
Negative and opposite forms
Expressions
honestly speaking
1/ˈɑnɪstli spˈikɪŋ/
fixed phrase
introducing a truthful statement formally
Used when you want to say something in an honest way.
Examples
- Honestly speaking, I don't think he's ready for the job.
- Honestly speaking, this is my first time here.
quite honestly
1/kwˈaɪt ˈɑnɪstli/
fixed phrase
emphasizing truthfulness strongly
Used to show that you are saying exactly what you think or feel.
Examples
- Quite honestly, I think this plan will fail.
- It was, quite honestly, the best day of my life.
to be honest
1/tə bˈi ˈɑnɪst/
fixed phrase
Introducing a truthful statement
Used before saying what you really think or feel.
Examples
- To be honest, I don't like this movie much.
- To be honest, I was surprised by the result.
to be honest
1/tə bˈi ˈɑnɪst/
fixed phrase
said to be frank
Use this to say your true opinion.
Examples
- To be honest, I don’t really like this movie.
- I’m tired, to be honest.
- To be honest, I forgot about the meeting.
Learner examples
- To be honest, I am nervous.
to be honest
2/tə bˈi ˈɑnɪst/
fixed phrase
introducing a frank statement
used before you say something that is true, especially if it may be surprising, very direct, or not polite.
Examples
- To be honest, I don't really like this restaurant.
- It wasn't a great game, to be honest.
- To be honest, I was scared when the plane started to shake.
to be honest
3/tə bˈi ˈɑnɪst/
fixed phrase
introducing a truthful statement
Used before saying something that is true, even if it may be surprising or not what someone wants to hear.
Examples
- To be honest, I didn’t enjoy the party.
- I was a bit nervous, to be honest.