honest-to-goodness
adjective
chiefly US, informal
: not fake, false, or artificial : real
He is an honest-to-goodness legend.
an honest-to-goodness movie star
Examples of honest-to-goodness in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
First, China has taken honest-to-goodness action on fentanyl.
—
David Goldman, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
So what happens when an actual, bona fide, honest-to-goodness disaster is unfolding in real life instead?
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
In spring, Waukegan’s ravines are filled with flowing water and after recent heavy rains a swollen Waukegan River looks, well, like an honest-to-goodness river.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2025
The show hadn’t yet really showcased any real, honest-to-goodness rock.
—Theoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 15 Aug. 2025
Inside the cabin, all of the haptic buttons on the steering wheel—including the all-important start button—have been replaced by real, tactile, honest-to-goodness physical buttons.
—Jonny Lieberman, Robb Report, 1 July 2025
Unfiltered, honest-to-goodness feedback directly from customers; the good, the bad and the ugly.
—Yola Robert, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
And for a fan base conditioned to expect average, a bit of honest-to-goodness early-season success could go a long way at the ballpark on the bay.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 25 Mar. 2025
So, cyanobacteria were evolving multicellularity with honest-to-goodness development and cell differentiation around 3 billion years ago.
—Steven Strogatz, Quanta Magazine, 20 Mar. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
David Goldman, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
So what happens when an actual, bona fide, honest-to-goodness disaster is unfolding in real life instead?
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
In spring, Waukegan’s ravines are filled with flowing water and after recent heavy rains a swollen Waukegan River looks, well, like an honest-to-goodness river.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2025
The show hadn’t yet really showcased any real, honest-to-goodness rock.
—Theoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 15 Aug. 2025
Inside the cabin, all of the haptic buttons on the steering wheel—including the all-important start button—have been replaced by real, tactile, honest-to-goodness physical buttons.
—Jonny Lieberman, Robb Report, 1 July 2025
Unfiltered, honest-to-goodness feedback directly from customers; the good, the bad and the ugly.
—Yola Robert, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
And for a fan base conditioned to expect average, a bit of honest-to-goodness early-season success could go a long way at the ballpark on the bay.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 25 Mar. 2025
So, cyanobacteria were evolving multicellularity with honest-to-goodness development and cell differentiation around 3 billion years ago.
—Steven Strogatz, Quanta Magazine, 20 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Honest-to-goodness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/honest-to-goodness. Accessed 29 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share