honorable

adjective

hon·​or·​able ˈä-nə-rə-bəl 

ˈän-rə-,

ˈä-nər-

1

: deserving of respect or high regard : deserving of honor

an honorable profession

2

a

: of great renown : illustrious

the college's long and honorable history

b

: entitled to honor or respect

—used as a title for the children of certain British noblemen and for various government officials

the Honorable Judge Smith

the Honorable Senator from California

3

: performed or accompanied with marks of honor or respect

4

a

: attesting to creditable conduct

honorable wounds

b

: consistent with a reputation that is not tarnished or sullied

an honorable withdrawal

received an honorable discharge from the army

5

: characterized by integrity : guided by a keen sense of duty and ethical conduct

Brutus is an honorable man

—William Shakespeare

assured her that his intentions were honorable

honorability

ˌä-nə-rə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

ˌän-rə-

noun

honorableness

ˈä-nə-rə-bəl-nəs 

ˈän-rə-

ˈä-nər-

noun

honorably

ˈä-nə-rə-blē 

ˈän-rə-

ˈä-nər-

adverb

Synonyms

• honest
• ethical
• noble
• respectable
• decent
• righteous

Choose the Right Synonym for honorable

upright, honest, just, conscientious, scrupulous, honorable mean having or showing a strict regard for what is morally right.

upright implies a strict adherence to moral principles.

a stern and upright minister

honest stresses adherence to such virtues as truthfulness, candor, or fairness.

known for being honest in business dealings

just stresses conscious choice and regular practice of what is right or equitable.

workers given just compensation

conscientious and scrupulous imply an active moral sense governing all one's actions and painstaking efforts to follow one's conscience.

conscientious in the completion of her assignments

scrupulous in carrying out the terms of the will

honorable suggests a firm holding to codes of right behavior and the guidance of a high sense of honor and duty.

a difficult but honorable decision

Examples of honorable in a Sentence

The college has a long and honorable history.

It is not honorable of you to behave like that.

They are trying to find an honorable way out of this dispute.

He assured her that his intentions were honorable.

He received an honorable discharge from the army.

Recent Examples on the Web

Different views on the topic Some readers challenge the emphasis on political decorum, arguing that respect must be earned through honorable conduct rather than election victories. —Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2025

Or that America's founding principles are honorable and created a superpower that leads the world. —Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 July 2025

The quest for the Briefcase, full of unearthed lyrics and music from the greats, is an honorable Grail. —Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 12 June 2025

But the film’s pulse-pounding excitement is merely a feint to suggest how the rush for vengeance — no matter how justified — only brings about more killing, dragging down honorable intentions and leaving blood on everyone’s hands. —Tim Grierson, Vulture, 20 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

see honor entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing honorable

• honorable mention

Rhymes for honorable

• dishonorable
• honourable

Kids Definition

honorable

adjective

hon·​or·​able ˈän-(ə-)rə-bəl 

ˈän-ər-bəl

1

: deserving of honor

2

—used as a title especially for various government officials

3

: performed or accompanied with marks of honor

an honorable burial

4

: doing credit to the possessor

honorable wounds

5

: characterized by honesty : ethical

honorably

-blē 

adverb

Legal Definition

honorable

adjective

hon·​or·​able

: entitled to honor

—used as a title for various government officials