truly

truly — adverb

1. Used to put extra force behind a statement, making clear that what you say is ge

1.adverbB1
Definition

Used to put extra force behind a statement, making clear that what you say is genuine, correct, or strongly felt — often placed before an adjective or a main verb.

Example

Apinya was truly sorry for breaking her friend's camera on the trip.

truly + adjective of feeling

I truly believe that the new policy will help small businesses grow.

truly + belief verb

Common collocations
  • truly sorry
  • truly believe
  • truly understand
  • truly amazing
  • truly beautiful
  • truly remarkable
Synonyms
  • really

    more common in everyday spoken English; less formal than 'truly'

  • genuinely

    emphasises that a feeling or quality is real, not pretended

  • indeed

    more formal and often placed after the verb or at the end of a clause

  • honestly

    stresses the speaker's own sincerity rather than the truth of the statement

Antonyms
  • falsely

    suggests something is pretended or not genuine

Grammar Patterns

truly + adjective

truly + verb (I truly believe…)

Usage Note

Often placed immediately before the word it emphasizes — either an adjective (truly wonderful) or a main verb (I truly understand). When used at the start of a sentence followed by a comma, it functions as a sentence adverb that comments on the whole statement: 'Truly, I had never seen anything like it.'

Common Mistakes

I am truly exciting about the news.
I am truly excited about the news.
use the -ed form of emotion adjectives (excited, surprised, amazed) after 'truly' to describe how someone feels.
She is a truly woman.
She is a truly remarkable woman.
'truly' cannot directly modify a noun; it must go before an adjective that modifies the noun.

2. In a way that matches what is real and factual — used to say that something real

2.adverbB1
Definition

In a way that matches what is real and factual — used to say that something really exists or happens, not just in people's imagination or claims.

Example

Roya wanted to see a truly wild animal in its natural habitat.

truly + adjective describing genuine quality

The earthquake was a truly global disaster that affected over twenty countries.

Common collocations
  • truly global
  • truly democratic
  • truly original
  • truly independent
  • truly fair
Synonyms
  • really

    more common and slightly less formal; works in the same patterns

  • genuinely

    stresses that something meets the real definition, not a fake version

  • actually

    focuses on fact vs. expectation; 'She actually won' vs. 'She truly won'

Antonyms
  • supposedly

    implies something is claimed to be true but may not be

Grammar Patterns

truly + adjective + noun

a truly + noun phrase

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 adds force to the speaker's claim ('I truly mean this'), while sense 2 asserts that something matches the real-world definition of a quality ('a truly democratic government' = one that actually meets the standard of democracy). Common in noun phrases of the pattern 'a truly + adjective + noun'.

Common Mistakes

It was a truly experience.
It was a truly unique experience.
'truly' must modify an adjective, not a noun directly.

3. In a way that is honest and comes from the heart, without pretending or hiding y

3.adverbB1
Definition

In a way that is honest and comes from the heart, without pretending or hiding your real thoughts and feelings.

Example

Faisal spoke truly when he told the board about the company's financial troubles.

speak truly = speak honestly

The old woman smiled and said truly that she had missed her grandchildren.

Common collocations
  • speak truly
  • love truly
  • truly thank
  • truly care
Synonyms
  • sincerely

    direct synonym; 'I sincerely hope' is the more common expression

  • honestly

    stronger in speech; 'Honestly, I don't care' versus 'Truly, I care deeply'

  • from the heart

    phrase; more emotional and less formal

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

verb + truly (speak truly, love truly)

Usage Note

Typically used with verbs of communication (speak, say, tell) and verbs of feeling (love, care, thank). Less common in casual conversation than 'honestly' or 'really'. In modern English, this sense overlaps considerably with sense 1 — the difference is that sense 3 focuses on the speaker's inner sincerity rather than the factual truth of the statement.

Common Mistakes

I truly hate this weather.
I really hate this weather.
'truly' with negative emotions sounds overly dramatic or unnatural in everyday speech.

4. Used within the set closing phrase 'Yours truly' just above the signature in for

4.adverbA2
Definition

Used within the set closing phrase 'Yours truly' just above the signature in formal correspondence or official documents.

Example

Mira ended her job application letter with 'Yours truly, Mira Chen.'

yours truly as formal letter closing

The principal signed the school notice 'Yours truly, Dr. Okafor.'

Common collocations
  • Yours truly
Synonyms
  • sincerely

    more common in modern formal letters; 'Yours sincerely' when the recipient is named

  • faithfully

    British English; 'Yours faithfully' when starting 'Dear Sir/Madam'

Grammar Patterns

Yours truly, + name

Usage Note

This sense only appears in the fixed phrase 'Yours truly'. In British English, 'Yours faithfully' is used when the letter begins 'Dear Sir/Madam', and 'Yours sincerely' when the recipient is named. 'Yours truly' is more common in American English and is acceptable with either opening. The phrase is also used informally as a humorous way to refer to oneself ('And who ate the last slice? Yours truly!'), but that is a separate idiomatic use.

Common Mistakes

Truly yours,
Yours truly,
the word order is fixed; 'yours' always comes first.

5. In a way that is completely accurate or meets a required standard — used when de

5.adverbB2
Definition

In a way that is completely accurate or meets a required standard — used when describing measurements, alignments, or technical correctness without any error or deviation.

Example

The carpenter checked that the table legs were truly level to avoid wobbling.

truly level = exactly level

Élise measured each piece twice to cut it truly straight for the frame.

Common collocations
  • truly level
  • truly straight
  • truly round
  • sing truly
Synonyms
  • exactly

    far more common in everyday English; preferred in general contexts

  • precisely

    similar meaning, more formal and technical

  • accurately

    focuses on correctness of a result rather than alignment

Antonyms
  • roughly

    approximately rather than exactly

Grammar Patterns

verb + truly

truly + adjective of measurement

Usage Note

This is the least common sense of 'truly' and mostly appears in technical or craft contexts (woodworking, engineering, music — 'sing truly' = sing in tune). In everyday language, 'exactly' or 'precisely' is more natural. 'Truly' in this sense is almost never used before comparative adjectives.

Idioms

yours truly

idiom

Used informally, often humorously, to refer to yourself — meaning 'me' or 'I'.

When the microphone broke, guess who had to fix it? Yours truly.

The report was written by the research team, including yours truly.

well and truly

idiom

In a complete or thorough way, with no possibility of change.

After the storm, the garden was well and truly ruined.

Did the team well and truly defeat their rivals last night?

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

All five words add force to a statement, but they differ in what kind of force. 'Really' is the most neutral and common — it works in almost any situation, from casual speech ('I really like this song') to formal writing. 'Truly' feels more emotional or emphatic, often used with deep feelings ('truly sorry', 'truly believe') rather than everyday preferences. 'Genuinely' focuses on authenticity versus pretence — 'She was genuinely surprised' means she wasn't faking it. 'Honestly' is about the speaker's own sincerity and often carries a defensive or confessional tone: 'Honestly, I had no idea.' 'Indeed' is the most formal and is typically used to confirm or agree with a previous statement ('It is indeed a problem.'). In writing, 'really' dominates journalism and blogs, 'truly' appears more in personal reflections, 'genuinely' in interviews, and 'indeed' in academic or legal prose. Example: 'I really enjoyed the concert' is a simple statement; 'I truly enjoyed every moment of the concert' adds heartfelt depth; 'I genuinely enjoyed it — I wasn't just being polite.' clarifies sincerity.

truly ↗really ↗genuinely ↗honestly ↗indeed ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Truly comes from Old English 'trēowlīce', meaning faithfully or sincerely. The root 'trēow' carried the idea of truth, faith, and loyalty — the same root that gave us 'true', 'truth', and 'truce'. By the 13th century, the word had developed its modern range of meanings, from factual accuracy to heartfelt sincerity to precise measurement. The formal letter closing 'Yours truly' dates from the 18th century, originally a way of signing off with a claim of personal faithfulness to the reader.