unreservedly

IPA/ˌʌnrɪˈzɜːvɪdli/
IPA/ˌʌnrɪˈzɜːrvɪdli/

unreservedly — adverb

1. in a way that shows no holding back of thoughts or feelings; completely and open

1.adverbC1
Definition

in a way that shows no holding back of thoughts or feelings; completely and openly, without doubt or hesitation

Example

Devika apologised unreservedly for forgetting her friend's birthday party.

collocation: apologise unreservedly — for full, open apology

The mayor supported the new library project unreservedly at the town meeting.

collocation: support unreservedly — giving complete support

Common collocations
  • apologise unreservedly
  • support unreservedly
  • recommend unreservedly
  • endorse unreservedly
  • give oneself unreservedly to
Synonyms
  • wholeheartedly

    warmer, more emotional; emphasises enthusiasm rather than absence of doubt

  • completely

    broader and more neutral; lacks the specific nuance of emotional openness

  • freely

    stresses the absence of external restraint; less about internal hesitation

Antonyms
  • reservedly

    the direct opposite — with restraint or held-back feelings

  • hesitantly

    focuses on the doubt side; less formal than 'reservedly'

Grammar Patterns

unreservedly + verb

verb + unreservedly

Usage Note

Commonly paired with verbs of speaking or expressing a position, such as 'apologise', 'support', 'recommend', and 'endorse'. The adverb can appear either before the verb or after the object.

Common Mistakes

I unreservedly accept your request for help.
I unreservedly accept your offer of help.
'accept an offer' is the natural collocation; 'accept a request' sounds conflicting.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

'Unreservedly' is the most formal of the four; it combines the idea of completeness with the specific sense of holding nothing back emotionally or mentally. 'Wholeheartedly' is warmer and more enthusiastic — you give something your full emotional energy — while 'unreservedly' is more about the absence of restraint. 'Completely' is the broadest and most neutral, covering any kind of totality. 'Freely' stresses the lack of external pressure rather than internal doubt. 'Openly' focuses on honesty and lack of concealment. For example, you might wholeheartedly endorse a candidate but still criticise their policy openly; you would reserve 'unreservedly' for occasions where every last doubt is set aside, such as when a company unreservedly apologises for a safety failure.

wholeheartedly ↗completely ↗freely ↗openly ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • give (oneself) unreservedly to

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Formed in English from the prefix 'un-' (meaning 'not') attached to 'reserved', which comes from Latin 'reservare' (to keep back, store up). The '-ly' suffix turns the adjective into an adverb. So the word literally means 'in a manner that is not kept back' — that is, without holding anything in reserve.

First known use

1611

1611, in the meaning defined above