honestly
gb/ˈɑnɪstli/ us/ˈɑnɪstli/
A2
English
~ 1100
Senses
0 senses
adverb
A2
property
1
in a truthful and sincere way
Used to say that you are telling the truth and not lying.
Usage pattern:
honestly [verb/statement]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'honestly' with 'seriously'; 'seriously' can mean 'I am not joking' but also 'very much', while 'honestly' focuses on truthfulness.
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'.)
Collocations
honestly believe
|honestly think
|honestly say
|speak honestly
Themes
communication
|emotions
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- I honestly don’t know what happened.
- She spoke honestly about her mistakes.
- 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.
- He honestly thinks it is a good idea.
- Honestly, I am very tired.
- She honestly told me the truth.
adverb
informal
B1
property
2
used to show surprise or emphasis
Used to show strong feeling like surprise or anger about something.
Usage pattern:
Honestly, [statement]
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse 'honestly' in formal writing where it can sound too casual or emotional.
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.)
Collocations
honestly can't believe
|honestly don't understand
|honestly never thought
Themes
emotions
|daily life
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Honestly, how could you forget the tickets?
- Honestly, I never thought I’d see the day.
- 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.
- Honestly, why did you do that?
- That food was honestly very bad.
- Honestly, I can't believe it.
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.
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.