sincerely
Americanadverb
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in a way that is genuine, earnest, or truthful.
We sincerely hope you can accept our apology.
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a conventional term used at the end of a letter.
Sincerely, Mrs. Rose McNair.
Usage
Spelling tips for sincerely The word sincerely is hard to spell because many often miss the second e, as in sincerly, or they include it in the wrong place, as in sincerley. Also, sometimes people may be confused about whether and where the s and c go, as in sinserely or cinserely. How to spell sincerely: The easiest way to remember how to spell sincerely is to start with the adjective sincere. This helps you include the second e in the right place, as sincer would be pronounced quite differently than sincere. Then, you turn sincere into an adverb by adding the typical adverb-forming suffix -ly, resulting in sincerely. To help you remember that sincerely has an s and then a c, keep in mind the phrase "sincere scout." Scout uses an s followed by a c, just like sincere.
Etymology
Origin of sincerely
First recorded in 1560–70; sincere ( def. ) + -ly ( def. ); sincerely def. 2 recorded in 1700–05
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In any authoritarian regime, there are likely to be some high-ranking members who serve because they sincerely believe they can be a moderating influence.
From Salon • Mar. 24, 2026
"I sincerely hope this serves as a moment of reflection. No-one should have to go through this, especially not a child."
From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026
But the few times they’re forced to play their hurt feelings sincerely are as forced as the moment when Grace zips her gory wedding gown back on before it’s even been washed.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2026
“But I sincerely wish that this will end soon. I mean, my God, I’m praying for it.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 10, 2026
Hamilton was there because he could not honestly deny Burr’s charges, which he sincerely believed captured the essence of the man’s character.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
