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honest

adjective
hon·​est | \ ˈä-nÉ™st How to pronounce honest (audio) \

Definition of honest

 (Entry 1 of 2)

1a : free from fraud or deception : legitimate, truthful an honest plea an honest presentation of facts
b : genuine, real making honest stops at stop signs — Christian Science Monitor
c : humble, plain good honest food
2a : reputable, respectable honest decent people
b chiefly British : good, worthy an honest fellow
3 : worthy of praise an honest day's work put forth an honest effort
4a : marked by integrity honest merchants
b : marked by free, forthright, and sincere expression : frank an honest appraisal an honest discussion
c : direct and uncomplicated : innocent, simple some good honest sleep

honest

adverb

Definition of honest (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : in a genuine or honest (see honest entry 1) manner : honestly I have ever found thee honest true— William Shakespeare
2 : with all sincerity I didn't do it, honest
Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about honest

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Synonyms & Antonyms for honest

Synonyms: Adjective

truthful, veracious

Antonyms: Adjective

dishonest, fibbing, lying, mendacious, prevaricating, untruthful

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Choose the Right Synonym for honest

Adjective

upright, honest, just, conscientious, scrupulous, honorable mean having or showing a strict regard for what is morally right. upright implies a strict adherence to moral principles. a stern and upright minister honest stresses adherence to such virtues as truthfulness, candor, or fairness. known for being honest in business dealings just stresses conscious choice and regular practice of what is right or equitable. workers given just compensation conscientious and scrupulous imply an active moral sense governing all one's actions and painstaking efforts to follow one's conscience. conscientious in the completion of her assignments scrupulous in carrying out the terms of the will honorable suggests a firm holding to codes of right behavior and the guidance of a high sense of honor and duty. a difficult but honorable decision

Examples of honest in a Sentence

Adjective

 He says that it's impossible to find an honest politician. These criminals pose a danger to honest citizens. He has an honest face. Just give me an honest answer. If you want my honest opinion, you should get a job. To be perfectly honest, I don't want to go. He gave us a painfully honest account of his childhood. It was an honest error. He still goes to the office every morning and puts in an honest day's work.
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Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

 RB James Conner runs just well enough to keep defenses honest. — Chris Wassel, USA TODAY Sportsbook Wire, "Pittsburgh Steelers at New England Patriots odds, picks and best bets [UPDATED]," 8 Sep. 2019 And, let’s be honest, no real surprise the Fenway Park stands were more than half empty at first pitch. — Tara Sullivan, BostonGlobe.com, "Moments to savor for Red Sox have been precious and few," 7 Sep. 2019 And to be honest, there’s much to be gotten out of them. — Tom Maxwell, Longreads, "Shelved: Van Morrison’s Contractual Obligation Album," 29 Aug. 2019 Real news is an honest account of actual events, true facts and real people. — Pomerado News, "U-T editorial director: Good journalism is accurate, starts a conversation," 23 Aug. 2019 Compared with the first night of debate, the second night was, to be honest, a little more boring and a lot more like a regular debate ... — Graeme Mcmillan, WIRED, "While You Were Offline: Mitch McConnell Got a New Nickname," 4 Aug. 2019 Just be honest, be frank, be in touch with yourself, and be willing to tell the ugly truth. — Naomi Hofferber, The Hollywood Reporter, "Tituss Burgess Takes Aim at Trump With New Song: "He's Dumb as Bricks"," 31 July 2019 The on-package directions were strict, which is, to be honest, as per my grandmother's bottle of Nair. — Leah Prinzivalli, Allure, "I Tried Nair’s New Hair-Removal Masks — Here’s What Happened," 15 July 2019 Let’s be honest, Instagram can serve as the best place to find your next outfit. — Nandi Howard, Essence, "The Best Dressed Black Creatives On Instagram This Week," 23 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'honest.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of honest

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adverb

1654, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for honest

Adjective and Adverb

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin honestus honorable, from honos, honor honor

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More Definitions for honest

honest

adjective
How to pronounce honest (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of honest

: good and truthful : not lying, stealing, or cheating
: showing or suggesting a good and truthful character
: not hiding the truth about someone or something : not meant to deceive someone

See the full definition for honest in the English Language Learners Dictionary

honest

adjective
hon·​est | \ ˈä-nÉ™st How to pronounce honest (audio) \

Kids Definition of honest

1 : not engaging in or involving cheating, stealing, or lying an honest citizen an honest living
2

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