honorable

hon·or·able

adjective \ˈä-nər-(ə-)bəl, ˈän-rə-\

Definition of HONORABLE

1

: deserving of honor

2

a : of great renown : illustrious

b : entitled to honor —used as a title for the children of certain British noblemen and for various government officials

3

: performed or accompanied with marks of honor or respect

4

a : attesting to creditable conduct

b : consistent with an untarnished reputation <an honorable withdrawal>

5

: characterized by integrity : guided by a high sense of honor and duty

— hon·or·abil·i·ty \ˌän-rə-ˈbi-lə-tē, ˌä-nə-\ noun

— hon·or·able·ness \ˈän-rə-bəl-nəs, ˈä-nə-\ noun

— hon·or·ably \-blē\ adverb

Examples of HONORABLE

1. The college has a long and honorable history.
2. It is not honorable of you to behave like that.
3. They are trying to find an honorable way out of this dispute.
4. He assured her that his intentions were honorable.
5. He received an honorable discharge from the army.

First Known Use of HONORABLE

14th century

Related to HONORABLE

Synonyms

decent, ethical, honest, just, noble, principled, respectable, righteous, stand-up, upright, upstanding

Antonyms

base, dishonest, dishonorable, ignoble, low, unethical, unjust, unprincipled, unrighteous, unworthy

Related Words

blameless, guiltless, irreproachable, unassailable, unimpeachable; chivalrous, classy, high-minded, menschy, right-minded; conscientious, fair, good, incorruptible, moral, reputable, respected, scrupulous, uncorrupted, virtuous; decorous, nice, polite, proper, seemly

Near Antonyms

bad, blackguardly, corrupt, criminal, crooked, evil, immoral, iniquitous, knavish, mean, nefarious, rascally, reprehensible, roguish, rotten, scoundrelly, sinful; unfair, unscrupulous, vile, villainous, wicked, wretched; blamable, blameworthy, censurable, culpable; debased, debauched, decadent, degenerate, degraded, demoralized, depraved, disgraceful, disreputable, dissipated, dissolute, libertine, loose, perverse, perverted, profligate, reprobate, shameful, venal

See Synonym Discussion at upright

Other Forms of Address Terms

appellation, beatitude, brethren, emeritus, esquire, sire, sous