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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective honest differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of honest are conscientious, honorable, just, scrupulous, and upright. While all these words mean "having or showing a strict regard for what is morally right," honest stresses adherence to such virtues as truthfulness, candor, or fairness.

known for being honest in business dealings

How do conscientious and scrupulous relate to one another, in the sense of honest?

Both 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

When would honorable be a good substitute for honest?

The meanings of honorable and honest largely overlap; however, 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

Where would just be a reasonable alternative to honest?

While the synonyms just and honest are close in meaning, just stresses conscious choice and regular practice of what is right or equitable.

workers given just compensation

When might upright be a better fit than honest?

The words upright and honest can be used in similar contexts, but upright implies a strict adherence to moral principles.

a stern and upright minister

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of honest A lot of garbage time, to be honest with you. Miami Herald, 31 Oct. 2025 That eight-time All-Star got painfully honest about his performance, speaking to the media after the Game 5 defeat. Jon Vankin, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025 Whether through an honest conversation or an unexpected emotional release, this transit helps dissolve walls and toxic barriers, revealing what’s actually hiding beneath the mystery. Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025 About the only countries that are honest about this are places such as Saudi Arabia, which unashamedly calls itself a Kingdom. John M. Crisp, Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for honest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for honest
Adjective
  • Comey has pleaded not guilty to all charges and maintains that his testimony was truthful.
    Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
  • Weaponizing some situations to make my mom look a way that just wasn’t truthful.
    Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • In 2021, the Vietnam Veterans of America presented Agnes with an award for her dedication, devotion and honorable military service.
    Bea L. Hines, Miami Herald, 31 Oct. 2025
  • And unlike Hemingway, who tends to be fixated on honorable men thrust into, or just emerging from, Big Moments—frequently war—McGuane is interested in large-souled men in smaller moments.
    Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Other ethical considerations will arise as the watches go into production.
    Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
  • There are also social and ethical challenges that need to be addressed.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Town & Country takes its characters and their struggles at face value and, despite some gentle needling, celebrates their genuine camaraderie and familial commitment.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025
  • According to the filmmakers, the character’s journey toward genuine courage forms the emotional core of the story.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Read on for the candid confessions and cautionary tales that might save you from making the same mistakes.
    Lauren Bengtson, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Another commenter, while sympathetic, offered a more candid take.
    Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Bindi’s only six years older, but is very conscientious and a real caregiver.
    Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 19 Oct. 2025
  • There are unanswered overtures from the choir’s pianist Horner (Robert Emms), a soft, vulnerable young man whose conscientious-objector status renders him a fellow outsider.
    Guy Lodge, Variety, 19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Props and decor — like gold coins, dynamite and cigars — give the party that authentic western feel!
    Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 31 Oct. 2025
  • Despite the stories being super heavy, Geralt has a sense of humor and wit about him that feels very authentic, because that’s how people move through trauma.
    Jordan Moreau, Variety, 31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Clean energy is driving a state of 40 million people, offering more affordable energy and creating reliable jobs that will power the future.
    MSNBC Newsweek, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Becton is not reliable at this stage.
    Daniel Popper, New York Times, 5 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Honest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/honest. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.

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