adv
earnestly
UR-nihst-lee
adv
1
In a sincere, serious way, with real effort or feeling behind it.
"She earnestly promised to do better next time."
"He worked earnestly to fix the mistake before anyone noticed."
How to Use Earnestly
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDoing or saying something with genuine sincerity, not half-heartedly.
Common pairings
earnestly hope
earnestly believe
ask earnestly
Word Forms
more earnestly comparative, most earnestly superlative
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She _____ promised to do better next time.
Etymology
From Old English eornostlīċe, built from earnest plus the adverb ending -ly.