sincerely

sincerely — adverb

1. describing behaviour or speech that comes from your real feelings and honest tho

1.adverbB1
Definition

describing behaviour or speech that comes from your real feelings and honest thoughts, without pretending or hiding anything — for example, apologising sincerely when you have made a mistake, or sincerely believing something even when others disagree.

Example

Lara sincerely apologized for arriving late to her son's school play and missing his first scene on stage.

sincerely + apologize — expressing genuine regret

Ilan sincerely thanked the night-shift nurses at Taipei General Hospital for looking after his father.

Common collocations
  • sincerely apologize
  • sincerely believe
  • sincerely hope
  • sincerely thank
  • sincerely regret
Synonyms
  • honestly

    strongly overlaps but works better with factual admissions and face-threatening opinions; slightly less emotionally warm.

  • genuinely

    emphasises that a feeling is real, not pretended; often used with emotions (genuinely sorry, genuinely happy).

  • truthfully

    focuses on factual accuracy rather than emotional authenticity; preferred for answering questions about facts.

  • from the heart

    idiomatic phrase; stronger emotional weight; less common in everyday speech.

Antonyms
  • insincerely

    direct antonym — acting or speaking in a pretended, not genuine way.

  • dishonestly

    overlaps with insincerely but emphasises intention to deceive, not just pretend.

Grammar Patterns

sincerely + [verb of feeling/expression]

Usage Note

Often pairs with verbs of feeling or speech such as apologize, believe, hope, thank, and regret. Unlike 'honestly' (which can introduce a contrasting opinion — 'Honestly, I don't care'), 'sincerely' always affirms genuine positive or regretful feeling.

Common Mistakes

I sincerely think you are wrong
I honestly think you are wrong
'sincerely' sounds unnatural with a direct, face-threatening opinion; use 'honestly' instead.
She answered sincerely that she had never seen the report
She answered honestly that she had never seen the report
'honestly' fits factual admissions better; 'sincerely' is stronger for emotions.

2. a polite word that a writer places before their signature when finishing a forma

2.adverbB1
Definition

a polite word that a writer places before their signature when finishing a formal letter or email to a named person — for example, closing a job application to a named manager with 'Sincerely' or 'Sincerely yours'.

Example

Maya finished her cover letter with 'Sincerely' just above her signature.

letter-closing formula: Sincerely before signature

For her email to Mr. Tanaka, the British manager closed with 'Yours sincerely' since she had addressed him by name.

UK convention: Yours sincerely + named recipient

Common collocations
  • Sincerely yours
  • Yours sincerely

Grammar Patterns

Sincerely / Sincerely yours / Yours sincerely as closing before signature

Usage Note

In American English, 'Sincerely' or 'Sincerely yours' is used for any formal letter. In British English, use 'Yours sincerely' only when the recipient is named in the salutation (Dear Mr. Chen). For 'Dear Sir/Madam', use 'Yours faithfully' instead. Only the first word of the closing is capitalised.

Common Mistakes

Using 'Sincerely' after 'Dear Sir' in a British-style letter.
Use 'Yours faithfully' instead
British convention requires 'faithfully' for unnamed recipients, 'sincerely' for named ones.
Sincerely yours, John Smith' (no comma after the name)
Sincerely yours, John Smith
a comma separates the closing from the signature.
Idioms

Yours sincerely

idiom

This phrase is written at the end of a formal letter when you know the name of the person you are writing to.

Mina wrote 'Yours sincerely' at the bottom of her job application letter.

Did you remember to put 'Yours sincerely' before your signature?

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

Sincerely, honestly, genuinely, truthfully, and frankly all describe speaking or acting without deception, but they differ in emotional warmth and typical use. Sincerely carries warmth — it emphasises that the speaker's feelings are real, not pretended. Honestly is the most neutral and versatile; it works for factual statements ('I honestly forgot'), opinions ('Honestly, it's too small'), and apologies. Genuinely is closer to sincerely in warmth but pairs especially with emotions ('genuinely grateful'). Truthfully focuses on factual accuracy and is preferred for answering questions ('Truthfully, I don't know'). Frankly signals that the speaker is about to say something direct, possibly negative ('Frankly, the report was weak'). A customer who is sincerely sorry sends flowers; one who is honestly sorry admits the mistake without excuses; one who is frankly sorry bluntly states it.

honestly ↗genuinely ↗truthfullyfrankly ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • I sincerely hope
  • I sincerely believe
  • I sincerely apologize
  • Sincerely yours
  • Yours sincerely

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Sincerely comes from the Latin word sincerus, meaning 'clean, pure, sound, genuine'. In ancient Latin, sincerus was used for things like untainted honey or uncorrupted laws. The idea of moral purity carried into French (sincère) and then into Middle English as sincere. The adverb form sincerely appeared in the 1500s. By the 1700s, it had also become a standard formula for closing letters — a usage that continues today.