honest

[on-ist] / ˈɒn ɪst /

ADJECTIVE

truthful, candid

Synonyms

STRONGEST

authentic conscientious decent equitable fair forthright genuine honorable impartial proper reliable sincere straightforward true trustworthy virtuous

WEAK

aboveboard bona fide direct ethical fair and square frank high-minded ingenuous just law-abiding lay it on the line like it is no lie on the level on the up and up open outright plain real reputable scrupulous straight true blue trusty undisguised unfeigned upfront upright veracious what you see is what you get

Antonyms

STRONGEST

biased corrupt counterfeit deceitful deceptive devious dishonest false insincere irresponsible partial prejudiced unfair unjust unreal unreasonable unreliable unsuitable untrustworthy

WEAK

fraudulent lying misleading treacherous untruthful

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“Most of the interest is emotional, which is the honest truth,” said Jeff Judge, a financial planner in Forest Hill, Md. “People want to own a piece of Elon Musk’s rocket company.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026

"That would have made quite a difference to be honest; somebody acknowledging what happened to the children who were placed in their care."

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

"I wouldn't pay it either, to be honest with you," the US president told the New York Post.

From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026

He’s just bracingly honest and notoriously wobbly when asked to verbalize the significance of everything and anything — from his poetically dense lyricism to the whole of his revered music career.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026

But, to be honest, learning everyone’s names seemed like a waste of time when I could be learning about the nitty.gritty details of George Washington’s role as our nation’s first spymaster.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin

Vocabulary lists containing honest

Positive Words to Describe a Person

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

The Silent Treatment: Words Plagued by Silent Letters

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

"Macbeth" Vocabulary from Act IV

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!