SINCERE

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does sincere mean? 

• SINCERE (adjective)
  The adjective SINCERE has 2 senses:

1. open and genuine; not deceitful

2. characterized by a firm and humorless belief in the validity of your opinions

  Familiarity information: SINCERE used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SINCERE (adjective)

Comparative: sincerer   
Superlative: sincerest   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Open and genuine; not deceitful

Context example:

sincere friendship

Similar:

bona fide (undertaken in good faith)

cordial (sincerely or intensely felt)

dear; devout; earnest; heartfelt (sincerely earnest)

honest (without dissimulation; frank)

genuine; true; unfeigned (not pretended; sincerely felt or expressed)

heart-whole; whole-souled; wholehearted (with unconditional and enthusiastic devotion)

Also:

echt; genuine (not fake or counterfeit)

honest; honorable (not disposed to cheat or defraud; not deceptive or fraudulent)

artless; ingenuous (characterized by an inability to mask your feelings; not devious)

existent; real (being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory)

true (consistent with fact or reality; not false)

Attribute:

sincerity (the quality of being open and truthful; not deceitful or hypocritical)

Antonym:

insincere (lacking sincerity)

Derivation:

sincerity (the quality of being open and truthful; not deceitful or hypocritical)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Characterized by a firm and humorless belief in the validity of your opinions

Synonyms:

earnest; sincere; solemn

Context example:

a film with a solemn social message

Similar:

serious (concerned with work or important matters rather than play or trivialities)

Derivation:

sincerity (the trait of being serious)

sincerity (an earnest and sincere feeling)

 Context examples 

I am blind and cannot judge of your countenance, but there is something in your words which persuades me that you are sincere.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

The rain was a mere trifle, and Anne was most sincere in preferring a walk with Mr Elliot.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

My own joy on the occasion is very sincere.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

He spoke so cheerfully, looked so sincere, and seemed so glad to give his all, that I was ashamed of myself.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

His voice was less harsh and wholly sincere as he said:

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

If ever child were stricken with sincere grief, I was.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

I have a very sincere interest in Emma.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

I would rather be paid the compliment of being believed sincere.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

I began sometimes to pray: very brief prayers they were, but very sincere.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

"I think it would be much better if you got a job," she said firmly, and he saw she was sincere.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)