honor system
noun
: a system (as at a college) whereby persons are trusted to abide by the regulations (as for a code of conduct) without supervision or surveillance
Examples of honor system in a Sentence
Customers are on the honor system to pay for any software they choose to purchase.
Recent Examples on the Web
The honor system was tested on recorded outs, and Koechner was calling everything a ball and allowing runners who were out to stay on base and run around the path.
—
Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 31 May 2025
That’s the honor system Mohammad Marouf Sharifi uses to keep track of the small debts that accrue when his customers are short on money, particularly toward the end of the month.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacramento Bee, 13 Feb. 2025
About half of schools chose to use the honor system.
—Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2025
While well-intentioned, the age verification process is built on an honor system, making the process very porous.
—Adaira Landry, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for honor system
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.
Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 31 May 2025
That’s the honor system Mohammad Marouf Sharifi uses to keep track of the small debts that accrue when his customers are short on money, particularly toward the end of the month.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacramento Bee, 13 Feb. 2025
About half of schools chose to use the honor system.
—Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2025
While well-intentioned, the age verification process is built on an honor system, making the process very porous.
—Adaira Landry, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for honor system
Cite this Entry
“Honor system.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/honor%20system. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share