truly

/ˈtruːli/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈtruːli/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈtrü-lē/ (ame, mw)

truly — adverb

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

1.副詞B1
釋義

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.

例句

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

同義詞
  • 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

反義詞
  • falsely

    suggests something is pretended or not genuine

文法句型

truly + adjective

truly + verb (I truly believe…)

用法筆記

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.'

常見錯誤

❌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.副詞B1
釋義

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.

例句

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.

同義詞
  • 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'

反義詞
  • supposedly

    implies something is claimed to be true but may not be

文法句型

truly + adjective + noun

a truly + noun phrase

用法筆記

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'.

常見錯誤

❌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.副詞B1
釋義

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

例句

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.

同義詞
  • 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

反義詞

文法句型

verb + truly (speak truly, love truly)

用法筆記

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.

常見錯誤

❌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.副詞A2
釋義

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

例句

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.'

同義詞
  • sincerely

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

  • faithfully

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

文法句型

Yours truly, + name

用法筆記

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.

常見錯誤

❌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.副詞B2
釋義

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.

例句

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.

同義詞
  • 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

反義詞
  • roughly

    approximately rather than exactly

文法句型

verb + truly

truly + adjective of measurement

用法筆記

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.