Definitions

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.

When employees understand that giving feedback is an expected and normal way of working together, they are more likely to provide honest, valuable insights.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026

And, to be honest, I didn’t think they would be that hard to avoid as I got older.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 11, 2026

And also for an audience, it just feels honest.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026

A trillion is a thousand times more than a billion, but let’s be honest: I could have told you it was a million times more and you probably would have believed me.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026

I asked, because if I was honest with myself, it had been eating at me that she got the jump on me like that.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin

Vocabulary lists containing honest

Positive Words to Describe a Person

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The Silent Treatment: Words Plagued by Silent Letters

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"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!