integrity

noun

in·teg·ri·ty in-ˈte-grə-tē

Synonyms of integrity next

: firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values : incorruptibility

: an unimpaired condition : soundness

: the quality or state of being complete or undivided : completeness

Choose the Right Synonym for integrity

honesty, honor, integrity, probity mean uprightness of character or action.

honesty implies a refusal to lie, steal, or deceive in any way.

honor suggests an active or anxious regard for the standards of one's profession, calling, or position.

integrity implies trustworthiness and incorruptibility to a degree that one is incapable of being false to a trust, responsibility, or pledge.

probity implies tried and proven honesty or integrity.

Examples of integrity in a Sentence

Many were tempted by a piece of the equity action and compromised their integrity. —

Bruce Nussbaum, Business Week, 28 Jan. 2002

By September, Gorbachev had told his aides that with Eastern Europe and Germany lost, the task was to defend the integrity of the Soviet Union itself. —

Condoleezza Rice, Newsweek, 22 Nov. 1999

But it is stunning to hear self-appointed watchdogs of public integrity shrug their shoulders at "standard" prosecutorial practice … —

Wendy Kaminer, New York Times Book Review, 22 Mar. 1998

… a hundred-and-one-year-old Jewish philanthropist … donated two and a quarter million dollars to the Archdiocese to purchase the property and preserve the integrity of the landmark. —

Brendan Gill, New Yorker, 10 June 1991

He's a man of the highest integrity. I admire her artistic integrity. She had the integrity to refuse to compromise on matters of principle. Without music, the film loses its integrity. They are trying to preserve the cultural integrity of the community. The earthquake may have damaged the building's structural integrity. See More

Recent Examples on the Web Of course, this kind of trust and integrity is something that AI models can’t provide. —

Laila Marouf, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023 Since then, Republicans have sent many election integrity efforts into retreat. —

Kevin Collier, NBC News, 10 Nov. 2023 County Board of Supervisors Chair Nora Vargas said no one has more integrity or more heart. —

Emily Alvarenga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Nov. 2023 Still a practicing Catholic despite her very public disagreements with its doctrine, especially regarding women, McDermott approaches religion on the page not as a political lightning rod but as a source of faith and integrity. —

Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2023 The characters are multidimensional, and all are portrayed with integrity, sophistication and grace. —

Lynnette Nicholas, Essence, 6 Nov. 2023 The design allows stormwater to move under in a natural way stopping unnatural erosion from occurring while protecting the integrity of the structure, according to the release. —

Mike Jones, Arkansas Online, 31 Oct. 2023 Robert Brustein, a giant in the theatrical world as critic, playwright, crusader for artistic integrity and founder of two of the leading regional theaters in the country, has died. —

Mark Kennedy, Fortune, 30 Oct. 2023 The scores come to us from the business consulting firm Mercer, which ranked 47 national pension systems for its Global Pension Index on standards such as adequacy, sustainability (including the reliability of funding) and integrity (such as the regulation of private pension providers). —

Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'integrity.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English integrite, from Middle French & Latin; Middle French integrité, from Latin integritat-, integritas, from integr-, integer entire

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of integrity was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century