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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective honorable differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of honorable are conscientious, honest, just, scrupulous, and upright. While all these words mean "having or showing a strict regard for what is morally right," 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

How are the words conscientious and scrupulous related as synonyms of honorable?

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

In what contexts can honest take the place of honorable?

Although the words honest and honorable have much in common, honest stresses adherence to such virtues as truthfulness, candor, or fairness.

known for being honest in business dealings

When could just be used to replace honorable?

The synonyms just and honorable are sometimes interchangeable, but just stresses conscious choice and regular practice of what is right or equitable.

workers given just compensation

When would upright be a good substitute for honorable?

While the synonyms upright and honorable are close in meaning, 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 honorable Take the cake out of the equation and address his actions, which, on that day, were less than honorable. Sabrina Weiss, People.com, 30 Apr. 2025 Naturally, the honorable scout leader is horrified by what’s happening to him. Vlada Gelman, TVLine, 24 Apr. 2025 Ahmed ultimately received an honorable delegate award at the conference, placing second overall. Shanzeh Ahmad, Chicago Tribune, 19 Apr. 2025 There’s something honorable about her absolute refusal to lie or cheat, even in the midst of what this world has deemed criminal, and the ways in which people who have committed crimes are not always seen in their full humanity or in their integrity. Ashley Lee, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for honorable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for honorable
Adjective
  • Like so many good honest people with common sense who work hard and pay taxes, the Democrat party has abandoned them.
    Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 May 2025
  • Because spontaneous conversations are harder in a hybrid environment, actively create spaces for honest discussions.
    Ayaskant Sarangi, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
Adjective
  • The woman's family later filed a lawsuit against Willet and his organization, questioning the circumstances surrounding her death and the legal and ethical oversight — or lack thereof — in her use of the pod, per the outlets.
    Christina Coulter, People.com, 3 June 2025
  • Skills like empathy, cultural understanding and ethical decision-making can’t be replicated by algorithms.
    Braden Yuill, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025
Adjective
  • And more than any other animal, cats represented to her its moral antithesis: lazy, pompous, interested only in themselves.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 June 2025
  • That recognized a moral responsibility to try to balance the scales, but the court no longer tries.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 6 June 2025
Adjective
  • Overwhelmingly, the pictures portrayed manual work as a noble, even romantic enterprise.
    Chris Wiley, New Yorker, 31 May 2025
  • Florentine society had changed a good deal since the days of their illustrious ancestor; noble blood had in fact become something of a liability.
    The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 29 May 2025
Adjective
  • Personally choosing to use less water is a nice start, but grander actions will be needed to effectively address the interrelated issues that drive the overuse of water.
    Suwanna Gauntlett Upjohn, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
  • Wilson completed a pass to Dee Eskridge, who made a nice one-handed catch with cornerback Kendall Sheffield in coverage.
    Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 28 May 2025
Adjective
  • Hybrid tea roses are the classic case as continual new waves of flowers depend on conscientious removal of spent blooms.
    Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 24 May 2025
  • And a committed Marxist's cold-blooded murder of two Israeli embassy staffers in Washington, D.C. Wednesday night was the natural and inevitable consequence of a conscientious, years-long campaign to dehumanize Jews and otherize all supporters of the world's only Jewish state.
    Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 May 2025
Adjective
  • The Nasdaq Composite had a slightly better session, closing at a respectable 0.32%.
    Paolo Confino, Fortune, 4 June 2025
  • Even among more respectable children’s literature from its time, Peter was a thoughtful creation, his architects never hesitating to use his famous credo: With great power comes great responsibility.
    Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 4 June 2025
Adjective
  • The formula for ‘true tackles’ is slightly more long-winded: tackles + challenges lost + fouls committed.
    Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 28 May 2025
  • This may be true if your sunscreen is exposed to heat or light.
    Health, Health, 27 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Honorable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/honorable. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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