earnestly

adverb

ear·​nest·​ly ˈər-nəst-lē 

: 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

Johnson conceded his own hesitation to get tested in the past, but earnestly told me it can be done nowadays with a blood test. —Steven Aquino, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024

Even as his faculties worsen and his speech slurs, the earnestly funny dressings down continue to impressive and unsettling effect. —Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 20 Sep. 2024

For all the joshing, the actors spoke earnestly about working on one of HBO’s flagship series. —Sean Piccoli, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2024

Known for such projects as The Florida Project and Tangerine, both of which were shot on iPhones and earnestly depicted the experiences of people living on the margins of society, Baker is known for his neorealistic and grainy style. —Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 12 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above