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
Louise ErdrichThey sing contemporary R&B earnestly, like they borrowed it and want to return it in better condition than when they got it.—Danyel Smith
Danyel SmithExamples of earnestly in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Ukraine's strike campaign started out earnestly in 2024 but has significantly intensified this year, helping Ukraine gain momentum in a grueling war of attrition that has persisted for more than four years since Russia's full-scale invasion.
—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
30 June 2026
The Midjourney company does not promote their device for routine screening of early cancers, although some online enthusiasts earnestly hope this will be the case soon.
—
Paul Hsieh,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
John Carney, 98 minutes The director of Once and Sing Street earnestly believes in the power of music.
—
Brian Tallerico,
Vulture,
26 June 2026
Maybe the only thing scarier than the opening scene of The Happening is Mark Wahlberg attempting to earnestly and fearfully talk to a plant.
—
Brianna Zigler,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for earnestly
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Brittney Melton,
NPR,
30 June 2026
The Midjourney company does not promote their device for routine screening of early cancers, although some online enthusiasts earnestly hope this will be the case soon.
—
Paul Hsieh,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
John Carney, 98 minutes The director of Once and Sing Street earnestly believes in the power of music.
—
Brian Tallerico,
Vulture,
26 June 2026
Maybe the only thing scarier than the opening scene of The Happening is Mark Wahlberg attempting to earnestly and fearfully talk to a plant.
—
Brianna Zigler,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for earnestly
Cite this Entry
“Earnestly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/earnestly. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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