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

There is no attendant, each party gets an hour on the honor system, and players who overstay their hour or flout the rules are subject to gentle but public shaming by others waiting. —David Shaftel, Curbed, 26 Aug. 2025

Eventually, Cheetham would like to open a small bakery stand in Litchfield using an honor system. —Pamela Brown, Hartford Courant, 9 July 2025

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

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

Word History

First Known Use

1893, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for honor system

• cryptosystem
• ecosystem
• intersystem
• multisystem
• photosystem
• subsystem

Kids Definition

honor system

noun

: a system (as at a school) where persons are trusted to follow the rules without supervision