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Synonym Chooser

How does the noun probity contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of probity are honesty, honor, and integrity. While all these words mean "uprightness of character or action," probity implies tried and proven honesty or integrity.

When might honesty be a better fit than probity?

The words honesty and probity can be used in similar contexts, but honesty implies a refusal to lie, steal, or deceive in any way.

When is it sensible to use honor instead of probity?

The words honor and probity are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, honor suggests an active or anxious regard for the standards of one's profession, calling, or position.

When could integrity be used to replace probity?

In some situations, the words integrity and probity are roughly equivalent. However, integrity implies trustworthiness and incorruptibility to a degree that one is incapable of being false to a trust, responsibility, or pledge.

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 probity As for the legal probity of targeting such a change at one country—China—this would hardly be unprecedented. Alex Raskolnikov, Foreign Affairs, 19 Feb. 2025 The legal and political crisis encompasses both the Justice Department and New York’s City Hall, calling into question Mr. Adams’s future as well as the independence and probity of federal prosecutions. Benjamin Weiser, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2025 Carter’s outsider status, coupled with his evident probity, provided a tonic to an electorate weary of Watergate and Richard Nixon’s endless prevarications. Randall Balmer, The Mercury News, 2 Jan. 2025 The dilemma recalls Otto Preminger’s Whirlpool and Where the Sidewalk Ends, post-WWII films about personal probity but without the melodramatic hype that cheapened both. Armond White, National Review, 22 Nov. 2024 See All Example Sentences for probity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for probity
Noun
  • Donate today to preserve the quality and integrity of local journalism.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 Sep. 2025
  • Of course, the senators need to actually respect standards of economic expertise and integrity, but so far this has largely worked out in the history of the Fed — with both presidents and senators doing so.
    James B. Speta, Twin Cities, 16 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • This honesty, paired with a focus on the fundamentals, helped his students achieve realistic, incremental progress.
    Maria Williams, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Somewhere in your honesty, someone else will find their courage—and that, more than any strategy or speech, is what transforms organizations.
    Marie Quintana, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • His work within and outside the confines of the entertainment industry led to this honor.
    Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 12 Sep. 2025
  • University of Arkansas men’s basketball Coach John Calipari made an appearance in Little Rock on Thursday to accept his Leader of the Year honor from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Arkansas during a luncheon event at Pleasant Valley Country Club.
    Michael Harley, Arkansas Online, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • What begins as a family mystery gradually opens onto broader questions of social resentment, morality and the enduring trauma of history.
    Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
  • The story just keeps building on itself, adding new characters and deep complexity to what could otherwise have been a flat morality tale.
    Joe Reid, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • In Israel, resilience is not treated as a soft virtue but as a critical capability to absorb shocks, adapt fast, and rebuild after failure.
    Rchin Bari, Boston Herald, 10 Sep. 2025
  • That’s a shame because one of the biggest virtues of Zoox’s symmetrical 4-wheel-steering design is superior ability to do general PuDo.
    Brad Templeton, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Gibson’s book delves into her struggles with finances and health, as well as her complicated relationship with Diane, who died in 2022, with clear-eyed sincerity.
    Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
  • The specifics matter less than the sincerity.
    Liz Doe Stone, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • And if that wasn’t enough fruity goodness, a brightening blend of apple cider vinegar, plus alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) like glycolic, lactic, and tartaric acids works to resurface and refine.
    Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Even more goodness to check out!
    Brian Truitt, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • This reliability could speed up the shoe design cycle and reduce costs, while giving developers a clearer picture of real-world performance.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 16 Sep. 2025
  • That means solar facilities, wind farms, batteries and even residential devices can be aggregated, synchronized and aligned with the reliability needs of the overall grid.
    Alvaro Rozo, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Probity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/probity. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.

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