ingenuously

I1N1G2E1N1U1O1U1S1L1Y4
UK/ɪnˈdʒɛnjuːəsli/

adverb

In an ingenuous manner; frankly, straightforwardly.

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Scrabble 15

Meanings

adverbingenuously (comparative more ingenuously, superlative most ingenuously)

comparative more ingenuously · superlative most ingenuously

  1. In an ingenuous manner; frankly, straightforwardly.

    Let us ingenuously confesse that only God and Faith hath told it us: for it is no lesson of Nature, nor comming from our reason.

    1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 12, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC
    2 more examples

    Yet this in Duty and Modesty I may ingenuously confess, My Royal Husband is oto far seduced, his Ear is too open, his Will too violent, and his Heart too free, to those bewitching Syrens, that make his Errors their Profit and Glory.

    c. 1620s, Elizabeth Cary [misattributed to Henry Cary], The History Of the most unfortunate Prince King Edward II. […] , London: A.G. and F. P., published 1680, page 41

    I must ingenuously acknowledge the chief Motive of my leaving her was the Present of a New-Year's-Gift she made me; but whether French or Neopolitan, I leave to the Determination of the Sons of Galen.

    1723, Charles Walker, Memoirs of Sally Salisbury, section V

Synonyms & antonyms

adverbin an ingenuous manner

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Also see

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latiningenuu
  2. Englishingenuous
  3. Englishingenuously

From ingenuous + -ly.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

ingenuously. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ingenuously

MLA

“ingenuously.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ingenuously. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ingenuously,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ingenuously.

Source: ingenuously on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.