good faith

noun

Definition of good faith

: honesty or lawfulness of purpose

Examples of good faith in a Sentence

You have no right to question my good faith.

Recent Examples on the Web This third-party convener role is perfect for our sector, which has relationships and inroads on both sides and can play the role of mediator in good faith. — Don Howard, Forbes, 13 May 2022 The letter accused the board of failing to negotiate in good faith and raised questions about the roughly $5 million budget that the symphony had set, calling the amount arbitrary. — Deborah Martin, San Antonio Express-News, 11 May 2022 This may cost you dearly in your relationship with your mother; your actions will have consequences, too, since that bit of natural law doesn’t spare people who act in good faith. — Washington Post, 20 Apr. 2022 These relationships, though, do not guarantee those at peace talks will negotiate in good faith. — Andrew Blum, The Conversation, 14 Apr. 2022 The governor said the action was being taken in good faith, emphasizing that the country of 22 million people had never defaulted on its debt payments. — NBC News, 12 Apr. 2022 In response to a request for comment Friday, spokesman Reggie Borges referred to an earlier public letter in which Roseann Williams, the company’s executive vice president for North America, promised to bargain in good faith. — Washington Post, 8 Apr. 2022 But after the Kremlin launched its brutal invasion, he's been far more skeptical -- accusing the Kremlin of not negotiating in good faith and, instead, using the cover of diplomacy to continue its attacks. — Conor Finnegan, ABC News, 29 Mar. 2022 However, a decision made in good faith may nevertheless be wrong. — Matt Ford, The New Republic, 24 Mar. 2022 See More

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

Learn More About good faith

Dictionary Entries Near good faith

good eye

good faith

good father

Statistics for good faith

Last Updated

21 May 2022

Cite this Entry

“Good faith.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/good%20faith. Accessed 22 May. 2022.

Style: MLA

MLA

Chicago

APA

Merriam-Webster Check Mark Icon

More Definitions for good faith

good faith

noun

Legal Definition of good faith

: honesty, fairness, and lawfulness of purpose : absence of any intent to defraud, act maliciously, or take unfair advantage filed the suit in good faith negotiating in good faith — see also good faith exception, good faith purchaser — compare bad faith

Note: The meaning of good faith, though always based on honesty, may vary depending on the specific context in which it is used. A person is said to buy in good faith when he or she holds an honest belief in his or her right or title to the property and has no knowledge or reason to know of any defect in the title. In section 1-201 of the Uniform Commercial Code good faith is defined generally as “honesty in fact and the observance of reasonable commercial standards of fair dealing.” Where recent U.C.C. amendments have not been adopted, this definition is found in Article 3 on negotiable instruments (and applies to Article 4 on bank deposits and collections and Article 4A on funds transfers), while Article 2 on sales defines it as “honesty in fact and the observance of reasonable commercial standards of dealing in the trade.” Article 5 (letters of credit), as amended, defines it as “honesty in fact in the conduct or transaction concerned.” The U.C.C. imposes an obligation of good faith on the performance of every contract or duty under its purview. The law also generally requires good faith of fiduciaries and agents acting on behalf of their principals. There is also a requirement under the National Labor Relations Act that employers and unions bargain in good faith.