What does sincerely mean?
Sincerely is an adverb meaning genuinely, honestly, or with strong and unaffected feeling. It is often used to emphasize the seriousness of a statement or feeling, as in "I sincerely apologize," and to distinguish genuine regard from politeness or insincerity. The word also appears in the conventional closing "Sincerely yours," especially in formal letters and professional correspondence. Its tone is earnest and trustworthy, though the choice to emphasize sincerity can sometimes sound formal or, when overused, a little defensive. Sincerely is closely related to the adjective sincere and the noun sincerity; all derive ultimately from Latin sincerus, meaning pure, clean, or uncorrupted. Knowing the word helps express gratitude, regret, apology, and goodwill with an explicit note of authenticity.
In a sincere, genuine, or heartfelt manner; truly and without pretence.
"She sincerely congratulated him on the award."
Commonly used to emphasize that a statement, feeling, apology, or expression of thanks is genuine.
Used in a formal letter closing to convey good wishes, respect, or personal regard.
"Thank you for your help. Sincerely yours, Daniel."
This use is especially associated with formal or semi-formal correspondence.
From a Latin word meaning “pure” or “uncorrupted,” sincerely has carried the reassuring idea of speaking from the heart for centuries.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sincerely come from?
Sincerely derives from the adjective sincere, which came through Old French from Latin sincerus, meaning pure, clean, or uncorrupted. The Latin word originally described something uncontaminated or free from fraud, and over time the English adjective came to mean truthful, genuine, or free from pretence. The adverb sincerely developed to describe an action or feeling performed in that genuine manner. Its relatives sincerity and insincere preserve the same central idea of honesty and absence of affectation.
How sincerely is actually used
Sincerely is commonly formal or semi-formal. In everyday conversation, expressions such as "really" or "genuinely" may sound more natural. In a letter closing, "Sincerely yours" is widely used in both British and American English.
Easily confused with sincerely
Sincerely is an adverb describing how an action or feeling is expressed, whereas sincerity is the noun meaning genuine honesty or absence of pretence.