honest

adjective

ˈä-nəst How to pronounce honest (audio)
Definition of honestnext
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

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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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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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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 Selena Gomez has always made a point of being very honest with her fans. — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 19 Oct. 2026 Nothing about Capra is weirder, to be honest, than the way in which, from one film of his to the next, suicide tugs at our sleeve. — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026 As more people become wary of big sale events, apparel companies should highlight affordable treats, provide real early-season deals and encourage honest customer reviews to help turn careful, price-sensitive shoppers into buyers. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2026 Jones turned in a yeoman's effort, going 22-35 for 155 passing yards and two touchdowns while also keeping the Longhorn defense honest with his legs. — Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for honest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for honest
  1. outspoken
  2. honorable
  3. ethical
  4. genuine
  5. candid
  6. conscientious
  7. authentic
  8. truthful
Adjective
  • The feud helped cost Republicans an incumbent who may have been tougher for Democrats to dislodge, and Tillis has emerged as an increasingly outspoken critic of the president.
    — Bill Barrow, Chicago Tribune, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Some Democrats have been outspoken in their support of impeaching members of the Cabinet, such as War Secretary Pete Hegseth.
    — Hailey Bullis, The Washington Examiner, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of outspoken
Adjective
  • Central to the exhibition is the tension between the honorable and the immoral, the appealing and the revolting.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Dealing with the British, his Tenzing is scrupulous and honorable, but don’t confuse that with subservience.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of honorable
Adjective
  • Put another way, in bringing the footage into the realm of film, and not reality television—his domain—Fielder breached some ethical standard.
    — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The collaboration with De Beers Group and Grandview Klein Diamonds is one of ethical sourcing and complete traceability.
    — Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of ethical
Adjective
  • The 2012 edition showed us there was genuine appetite for Dracula in audio, and that the epistolary structure of letters and diary entries actually works beautifully when performed by multiple voices.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 6 Nov. 2026
  • The organizations that succeed over the next decade will likely have invested in a culture that breeds adaptability through genuine empathy, honest communication and support.
    — Suzanne Konstance, Forbes.com, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of genuine
Adjective
  • Bruckheimer has been candid about work on a new Pirates film which would have Jeff Nathanson writing the script.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Last month, Brody, who is Jewish and currently plays Rabbi Noah Roklov in Netflix’s Nobody Wants This, spoke to GQ about his political advocacy and went viral for getting candid about his views on Israel and Gaza.
    — Isabella Albaig, Vulture, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of candid
Adjective
  • Once reading time kicked off during a recent meetup, the only sounds from the group were the quiet rustle of pages turning and the conscientious nibbling of snacks and sipping of tea as the cafe continued its bustle.
    — Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Even if every senator were ethical, conscientious and committed to the public good, the incentives would remain the same.
    — Nicholas Jacobs, The Conversation, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of conscientious
Adjective
  • The pizzeria has been ranked by the 50 Top Pizza Italian guide for six years in a row, noted for its authentic Neapolitan pizza.
    — Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Nov. 2026
  • There’s been a lot of talk about candidates being authentic, being relatable.
    — Naomi Lim, The Washington Examiner, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of authentic
Adjective
  • Becoming Richard Pryor by Scott Saul Richard Pryor was a genius, a revolutionary, and such a truthful entertainer.
    — Emma Specter, Vogue, 31 Oct. 2026
  • There’s something incredibly funny and truthful about using cannibalism to explore the horror and thrill of becoming a woman.
    — Vulture Editors, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of truthful

Phrases Containing honest

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hones in (on)
honest
honest broker
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Cite this Entry

“Honest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/honest. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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