1
as in truthful
being in the habit of telling the truth
at least the weatherman is honest and doesn't pretend to be able to predict the unpredictable
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in honorable
conforming to a high standard of morality or virtue
an area populated by honest and industrious farm folk
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in ethical
following the accepted rules of moral conduct
an honest customer who doesn't hesitate to tell the cashier she's given him too much change
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4
as in genuine
free from any intent to deceive or impress others
the sort of person who helps others from an honest desire to do good
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5
as in candid
free in expressing one's true feelings and opinions
appreciate your honest friends, who tell you what you need to hear and not what you want to hear
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6
as in conscientious
guided by or in accordance with one's sense of right and wrong
made an honest attempt to return the money she had found in the cafeteria
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7
as in authentic
being exactly as appears or as claimed
a restaurant serving honest down-home Southern cooking
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of honest
Not by predicting the specific event, but by asking honest questions about categories of risk and building structures that hold when those risks materialize.
—
Dwayne Chauhan, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
Conversations with relatives could become surprisingly honest, revealing or healing.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
Let’s be honest, Jamie would have given Claire the biggest door and been right next to her.
—Reshma Gopaldas, IndieWire, 15 May 2026
Why else spend a long part of this precious night explaining, as Mari does to Marie-Lou with the aid of an honest-to-God whiteboard, your thoughts on capitalism and urbanism and resource scarcity?
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for honest
Dwayne Chauhan, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
Conversations with relatives could become surprisingly honest, revealing or healing.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
Let’s be honest, Jamie would have given Claire the biggest door and been right next to her.
—Reshma Gopaldas, IndieWire, 15 May 2026
Why else spend a long part of this precious night explaining, as Mari does to Marie-Lou with the aid of an honest-to-God whiteboard, your thoughts on capitalism and urbanism and resource scarcity?
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for honest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for honest
Adjective
-
Issues in Justice While minimizing harm and being truthful certainly relate to one’s sense of being treated fairly by media makers, justice also comprises a communicator’s support for diversity and equity for human groups.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
7 May 2026
-
Our shows are uncomfortably authentic and truthful.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
Interpreted in this light, silence evolved to signify the very condition of being an honorable man who was capable of maintaining omertà.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
13 May 2026
-
Either way, Netflix respectfully disagrees with the honorable gentleman from the former Republic of Texas, to put it nicely.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
The biggest challenge will be to rebuild the office by recruiting the highest quality staff and attorneys, and establishing an ethical culture of serving the needs of the state rather than an ideological agenda.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 May 2026
-
That’s why Cavadini and others are looking forward to the imminent release of Pope Leo XIV’s first major encyclical, expected to address the growing ethical and moral challenges of artificial intelligence.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
With a population of only about 5,000 people − both working class and millionaires alike − the eagles are a frequent local topic, both because of the international attention but also because so many locals are genuine fans.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
11 May 2026
-
Locals, even some hardened to the realities of big-time sports, bought into Kiffin’s genuine affection for the people and the place.—
Chris Smith,
Vanity Fair,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
At the annual Tony Awards nominees luncheon, Broadway’s biggest stars, breakthrough performers and veteran craftspeople traded nerves for laughter, candid confessions and mutual admiration.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
18 May 2026
-
And so that’s a big win for the president to be able to go over there, have a lot of candid conversations with President Xi, and come to an agreement on some of the biggest issues of the day.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
So naturally, the thought of turning Hypergnosis into an ethical company doesn’t compute, even to a seemingly conscientious person like Harper, who likens Anushka’s vision to buying a jet and asking where the brakes are.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
10 May 2026
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While acknowledging that antisemites may have good characteristics—a loving husband, a generous and conscientious citizen—Sartre claimed that their hatred ultimately defines them.—
Livia Gershon,
JSTOR Daily,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
Cities like Charlotte and Raleigh are becoming home to Colombian storefronts and restaurants that are just as authentic as any place in Cartagena.—
Natalie Hoy,
Southern Living,
16 May 2026
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If enough of these clips rack up enough views fast enough, credulous social-media algorithms interpret the spike as an authentic surge of interest and push the videos to real users, who sometimes generate real engagement, prompting the algorithm to push those videos even further.—
Lane Brown,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
Even recognizing one or two reliable triggers—like tight clothing, prolonged sitting or hot weather—can help guide meaningful adjustments.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
11 May 2026
-
The dogs provide rangers with a reliable way to etch trails, haul supplies and even assist park scientists with snow-dependent research.—
K. R. Callaway,
Scientific American,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Honest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/honest. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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