honestly
honestly — adverb
1. to speak or act without lying, cheating, or hiding the truth, so that others can
to speak or act without lying, cheating, or hiding the truth, so that others can trust what you say or do.
The accountant answered all the auditor's questions about the budget honestly.
manner adverb: answer + honestly
Xiu told her parents honestly that she had broken the vase by accident.
If you answer honestly during the interview, you will make a better impression.
The company's report deals honestly with the difficulties it faced last year.
Andrés could not honestly say he liked the painting his friend had given him.
- truthfully
More specific to speech and statements; 'honestly' also covers actions and behaviour.
- fairly
Emphasises justice and equal treatment rather than truthfulness.
- openly
Focuses on hiding nothing; 'honestly' adds a moral dimension of not deceiving.
- candidly
More formal; suggests speaking without hiding feelings or opinions, while 'honestly' is broader.
- dishonestly
Direct opposite; acting with deceit or fraud.
- deceitfully
Emphasises intentional misleading, stronger negative connotation.
文法句型
verb + honestly (post-verbal)
honestly + verb (pre-verbal emphasis)
honestly + about + noun phrase
用法筆記
The most common position is after the verb it modifies (e.g. 'speak honestly', 'act honestly'). Placing 'honestly' before the verb adds emphasis to the speaker's sincerity.
常見錯誤
2. said when you feel strongly that something someone has said or done is wrong, un
said when you feel strongly that something someone has said or done is wrong, unfair, or annoying, and you want to express your frustration directly.
Honestly, Rachel, do you have to leave your dirty dishes in the sink every single day?
sentence adverb + name: expressing frustration about repeated behaviour
Honestly, I cannot believe the boss expects us to finish this project by Friday.
Honestly, Hoa, that is the third time this week you have forgotten our meeting.
Honestly, this train delay is getting ridiculous — we have been waiting for over an hour.
Honestly, Asher, you could at least say thank you when someone helps you.
- seriously
Similar frustration marker but can also express disbelief without annoyance.
- for goodness' sake
Stronger, more emotional; less common in everyday speech.
- come on
More conversational; can express impatience with a situation rather than a person.
文法句型
Honestly, + [clause expressing frustration]
Honestly, + [question expressing disbelief]
用法筆記
Almost always begins the sentence or clause, followed by a comma. Strongly associated with spoken or informal written English (messages, social media). Using this sense in formal writing may sound rude or impatient.
常見錯誤
3. said to insist that you are telling the truth, especially when your statement mi
said to insist that you are telling the truth, especially when your statement might be surprising, difficult to believe, or contrary to what others think.
Honestly, Kabir did not mean to upset anyone with his comment about the proposal.
sentence adverb: assuring sincerity about someone else's intentions
I honestly thought the exam would be much harder than it actually was.
pattern: I honestly thought + that-clause
Honestly, that was the best meal Élise has ever made for us at her new house.
Ziad honestly believed that his lost cat would find its way back home on its own.
Honestly, Rachel, I had no idea the party was tonight — I thought it was next week.
- truthfully
More direct; implies telling facts rather than expressing a sincere feeling.
- frankly
Focuses on being open and direct, sometimes blunt; 'honestly' adds warmth.
- seriously
More informal; often used as a single-word exclamation ('Seriously?') whereas 'honestly' works as a sentence adverb.
- genuinely
Emphasises that a feeling or belief is real and not pretended; close to 'honestly' in sincerity contexts.
文法句型
Honestly, + [statement]
I honestly + [verb of thinking or feeling]
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 2: both can start a sentence, but sense 3 asserts truthfulness (often with a surprising or contrary statement), while sense 2 expresses disapproval. When placed before a verb of thinking ('honestly thought', 'honestly believed'), this sense is unambiguous.