genuine
Real and true, not fake.
- The expert confirmed the coin was genuine: a real Roman treasure, not a copy.
- Her smile was genuine, and you could tell she really meant every kind word she said.
Similar: real, true, honest
genuine or sincere?
Sincere is only about people meaning what they say or feel. Genuine can describe things as well.
The two words overlap a lot, which is why children treat them as twins. A genuine apology and a sincere apology mean almost the same thing. The difference shows up when you move away from feelings.
Genuine can describe objects. A signed football shirt might carry a genuine autograph, and a jeweller can tell you whether a stone is a genuine diamond or a clever copy.
Sincere cannot do that. It belongs to people and what they say or feel: a sincere thank-you card, a sincere promise to help with the washing-up. Nobody would talk about a sincere diamond, because a stone cannot mean anything.
Both words, side by side
sincere
Truly meaning what you say or feel, without pretending.
- Her apology was so sincere that I forgave her at once.
- The coach gave sincere praise after training, and you could tell he truly meant every word.
Similar: honest, true, genuine
Why it costs marks
Cloze and closest-meaning questions sometimes test exactly this edge. If the sentence is about an object, such as a painting or a coin, sincere will not fit even though it feels similar, and spotting that saves a wasted guess.
Definitions and example sentences on this page are the ones a child sees inside Wordrealm, taken from our list of over 1,100 words. It is free to browse, with nothing to sign up for.
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test