What does sincerity mean?
Sincerity is the quality of being genuine in feeling or intention, especially when a person's words match what they actually believe. It often implies freedom from affectation, flattery, or deliberate deception, but it need not suggest bluntness: a sincere person can be tactful, reserved, or emotional. In everyday use, the noun is usually uncountable, as in an expression of sincerity or a plea for sincerity, while the plural is rare. Sincerity can describe the apparent honesty of a statement (“I believed he was sincere”) or the deeper genuineness of an apology, intention, or piece of writing. Its force lies in the contrast between appearance and reality: something may sound plausible yet lack sincerity. The word is especially associated with moral character and personal communication, and it can sound formal or earnest in official and literary contexts. In a culture where polished speech is common, sincerity is valued not merely as candour but as credible alignment between words and inner intention.
nounThe quality of being sincere; genuineness and honesty of intention or feeling without pretence or deception.
- The quality of being genuine or truthful in one's feelings, intentions, or expressions, without pretence or deception.
- Freedom from affectation or insincerity in manner or expression.
"She accepted the apology with evident sincerity."
"The warmth and sincerity of her apology ended the disagreement."
"He gave no evidence of sincerity when he refused to discuss the matter directly."
Rare; the plural occurs chiefly in literary or philosophical contexts.
"The novel explores the different sincerities of public and private life."
Before it meant honesty, sincerity meant purity: both trace to the Latin sincerus, meaning “pure” or “unaltered.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sincerity come from?
The noun entered Middle English from Middle French sincérité, ultimately from Latin sinceritas, a noun formed from sincerus, meaning “pure, genuine, or unaltered.” Latin sinceritas could denote purity or integrity as well as straightforwardness, while its English use developed toward the modern idea of honest or genuine feeling. The adjective sincere and adverb sincerely belong to the same semantic family, while Spanish sinceridad and Italian sincerità are Romance cognates.
Related word forms
How sincerity is actually used
Sincerity is usually uncountable and has a formal-to-neutral register. It can suggest either obvious emotional honesty or the absence of deliberate pretence, and it is often used in discussions of apologies, intentions, public speaking, and personal relationships.
Easily confused with sincerity
Sincerity is the noun naming the quality of being honest and genuine, whereas sincere is the adjective describing someone or something that possesses that quality.
Sincerity concerns honesty and the absence of pretence, while serenity concerns peacefulness, calmness, and an untroubled state of mind.