good faith

noun

: 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

For roughly 240 years, the Constitution has held strong because political leaders have generally colored within its lines in good faith, keeping faith in the process, as described by Yale Law professor John Witt. —Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 9 June 2026

Sorsby has sued the NCAA for breach of contract and breach of the duty of good faith and fair dealing. —Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 8 June 2026

For all the Court’s pretenses—all of its insistence on the rule of law, precedent, and good faith—many critics and supporters of the Roberts Court see the institution as an appendage of the Republican Party. —Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 5 June 2026

All will be done in good faith, and always with respect and trust-and with fidelity to the practices that have served us well for 58 years. —Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 4 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for good faith

• baith
• saith
• snaith
• wraith
• interfaith

Kids Definition

good faith

noun

: honesty or lawfulness of purpose

bargained in good faith

Legal Definition

good faith

noun

: 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.

Etymology

translation of Latin bona fides