earnestly

adverb

ear·​nest·​ly ˈər-nəst-lē How to pronounce earnestly (audio)
: in an earnest and serious manner : not lightly, casually, or flippantly
speaking earnestly
asking earnestly for forgiveness
providing the relief that they had earnestly hoped for
She spoke so earnestly, with such emotion in her voice, that Omakayas was always to remember that moment …Louise Erdrich
They sing contemporary R&B earnestly, like they borrowed it and want to return it in better condition than when they got it.Danyel Smith

Examples of earnestly in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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They were kind, aligned with our mission and values and earnestly wanted to grow. Ross Overline, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025 All of these eclectic folks contribute to the rowdy, free-for-all atmosphere of a movie that’s not necessarily great, but earnestly plays its part in trying to make New York City great again. Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Mar. 2025 However, a glaring gap has emerged and must be earnestly addressed: the need for fair, accurate and relevant representation of LGBTQ people. Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Mar. 2025 Gaga embraced the weirdness by earnestly supporting the mouse, singing him a ballad and standing up to defend him. Esther Zuckerman, The Atlantic, 9 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for earnestly

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of earnestly was before the 12th century

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Cite this Entry

“Earnestly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/earnestly. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.

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