Definition of the word honest

Last Updated:
7 Apr 2023
— Updated example sentences

English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Middle English honest, honeste (“honourable, appropriate, excellent”), from Old French honeste, from Latin honestus, from honor. For the verb, see Latin honestāre (“to clothe or adorn with honour”), and compare French honester. Displaced native Old English sōþfæst (literally “truth-firm”).

Pronunciation[edit]

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈɒnɪst/
  • (RP dated) IPA^(key): /ˈɔːnɪst/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈɑnɪst/
• Rhymes: -ɒnɪst, -ɔːnɪst, -ɑnɪst

Adjective[edit]

honest (comparative honester or more honest, superlative honestest or most honest)

1. (of a person or institution) Scrupulous with regard to telling the truth; not given to swindling, lying, or fraud; upright.

   We’re the most honest people you will ever come across.

   • c. 1680, William Temple, Of Popular Discontents

     A true and honest physician is excused for leaving his patient, when he finds the disease grown desperate

2. (of a statement) True, especially as far as is known by the person making the statement; fair; unbiased.

   an honest account of events

   honest reporting

3. In good faith; without malice.

   an honest mistake

4. (of a measurement device) Accurate.

   an honest scale

5. Authentic; full.

   an honest day’s work

6. Earned or acquired in a fair manner.

   an honest dollar

7. Open; frank.

   an honest countenance

8. (obsolete) Decent; honourable; suitable; becoming.

   • c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merry Wiues of Windsor”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene ii]:

     Behold what honest clothes you send forth to bleaching!

   • 1624, William Simons, “The Gouernment Returned againe to Sir Thomas Gates, 1611”, in John Smith, The Generall Historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles: […], London: […] I[ohn] D[awson] and I[ohn] H[aviland] for Michael Sparkes, →OCLC, book 4; reprinted in The Generall Historie of Virginia, […] (Bibliotheca Americana), Cleveland, Oh.: The World Publishing Company, 1966, →OCLC, page 111:

     […] Vpon the verge of the Riuer there are fiue houſes, wherein liue the honeſter ſort of people, as Farmers in England, and they keepe continuall centinell for the townes ſecuritie.

   • 1692, Roger L’Estrange, “[The Fables of Æsop, &c.] Fab[le] CLV. A Shepherd and a Wolves Whelp [Reflexion].”, in Fables, of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists: […], London: […] R[ichard] Sare, […], →OCLC, page 140:

     [T]here are Wolf-Whelps in Palaces, and Governments, as well as in Cottages, and Forreſts. […] They go out however, as there is Occaſion, and Hunt and Growle for Company; but at the ſame time, they give the Sign out of their Maſters hand, hold Intelligence with the Enemy; and Make uſe of their Power and Credit to Worry Honeſter Men them Themſelves.

9. (obsolete) Chaste; faithful; virtuous.

   • c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merry Wiues of Windsor”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene ii]:

     Wives may be merry, and yet honest too.

Synonyms[edit]

• See also Thesaurus:honest

Antonyms[edit]

• dishonest

Derived terms[edit]

Collocations[edit]

Translations[edit]

Verb[edit]

honest (third-person singular simple present honests, present participle honesting, simple past and past participle honested)

1. (obsolete) To adorn or grace; to honour; to make becoming, appropriate, or honourable.

   • 1609 December (first performance)​, Benjamin Jonson [i.e., Ben Jonson], “Epicoene, or The Silent Woman. A Comœdie. […]”, in The Workes of Ben Jonson (First Folio), London: […] Will[iam] Stansby, published 1616, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):

     You have very much honested my lodging with your presence.

Adverb[edit]

honest (comparative more honest, superlative most honest)

1. (colloquial) Honestly; really.

   It wasn’t my fault, honest.

Translations[edit]

Further reading[edit]

• honest in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• “honest”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• honest at OneLook Dictionary Search
• “honest”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
• “honest”, in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th edition, Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016, →ISBN.
• “honest”, in Collins English Dictionary.
• “honest” (US) / “honest” (UK) in Macmillan English Dictionary.

Anagrams[edit]

• Heston, Stheno, ethnos, oneths

Catalan[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Latin honestus.

Adjective[edit]

honest (feminine honesta, masculine plural honests or honestos, feminine plural honestes)

1. upright, decent, honorable

Derived terms[edit]

• deshonest
• honestament

[edit]

• honestedat
• honor

Further reading[edit]

• “honest” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “honest”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2023
• “honest” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “honest” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

Middle English[edit]

Adjective[edit]

honest

1. Alternative form of honeste (“good”)

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Chaucer to this entry?)

’ My conscience says, ‘No; take heed, honest Launcelot; take heed, honest Gobbo; ’ or, as aforesaid, ‘honest Launcelot Gobbo; do not run; scorn running with thy heels. ❋ Unknown (1914)

When you’re dealin ‘with an honest event — _honest_, mind you — as goes on year after year between two parties both ekally set on winnin’, the only way to get real satisfaction is to pick your fancy an ‘go on backin’ it. ❋ Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch (1903)

«There are several men that I _believe_ to be honest,» returned the owner of the bungalow, «yet only one that I know to be _honest_, and who possesses at the same time the judgment to undertake a mission like the one I have been telling you about.» ❋ Unknown (1895)

Not only would they all stay here, but they would become honest — these hardened rogues, who a few weeks before were wont to use the words _honest_ and _stupid_ as synonyms. ❋ Theodor Hertzka (1884)

_very_ honest, or _exceedingly_ just, for the words _honest_ and _just_, literally admit of no comparison. ❋ Samuel Kirkham (N/A)

You’d rather see me drudging all the best moments of my life away, so you can lounge around Ju Penrose’s saloon spending dollars you’ve no right to, than risk your peace of mind on an honest — yes, _honest_ — transaction that’s going to give me a little of the comfort that you haven’t the grit to help me to yourself. » ❋ Ridgwell Cullum (1905)

Secondly, any lasting peace is going to have to be a peace that’s good for both sides, and, therefore, the term honest broker makes sense. ❋ Unknown (2000)

The term honest wealth, which was creeping into respectable periodicals, was exceedingly annoying to him. ❋ William Allen White (1906)

Although not given to blushing, Dick felt that he coloured under his dye at the praise; for although they had certainly sold cheaply, he doubted whether the term honest could be fairly applied to the whole transaction. ❋ Unknown (1867)

A Fox News appearance that Michael Steele made on January 4th where he has used the term honest Injun to back up his remarks on conservative principles and a lot of Native Americans didn’t like him using those words. ❋ Unknown (2010)

Mr. Rangel has acknowledged making what he called honest mistakes, but has denied intentionally deceiving anyone. ❋ Unknown (2010)

While admitting to what he called honest mistakes in his personal finances, Mr. Rangel has said he never intentionally deceived anyone. ❋ Unknown (2010)

Mr. Rangel has admitted making what he called honest mistakes but has emphatically denied intentionally deceiving anyone. ❋ Unknown (2010)

Mr. Rangel ‘ s case has dragged on for two years, and he has admitted making what he calls honest mistakes but denied any intentional wrongdoing. ❋ Devlin Barrett (2010)

The Republican Governors Association said it is time for what it called honest leadership. ❋ Unknown (2008)

But these three gentlemen would never let me rest from wickedness: yet they kept me poor and neces-sitous; as the only means to keep me what they called honest; for they had often reason to think, that had I had any other means of subsistence, I would have been really honest. ❋ Unknown (2006)

KOCH: Defense Secretary Rumsfeld did acknowledge that what he called honest mistakes were made in prewar intelligence, the intelligence used to base the decision to go to war in Iraq. ❋ Unknown (2005)

Vrenn felt a little annoyance at the word «honest,» but only a little. ❋ John M. Ford (2000)

Arter what happened when we was coming out of the river, where we lost you overboard, I come to the conclusion that that cousin o ‘yours warn’t what I calls a honest man. ❋ Allen Upward (1894)

And when I find out as a man ain’t what I calls honest, I don’t sail in his company. ❋ Allen Upward (1894)

[Melvin] on [YouTube comments section] of any given video: «Lets be honest: u didnt’ searched for this *ambiguous smiley* U [could of] but, u did’nt though…» ❋ Burt Milhorse Eriksson (2021)

To [give] an example would be [contrary] to [my definition] of “honest.” ❋ Nethcev! (2006)

Girl: Come on! Be honest [am I fat]?
Guy: Fine, honestly your fat.
Girl: [Wtf is wrong with you] faggot? [I fucking hate you]. ❋ Jersey Kid (2008)

She asked where he was at [midnight]. He was honest and said he was at another [woman’s] house, as opposed to saying he was at «someone’s» house, or a «[buddy’s]» house. ❋ Itsallgoodhomie917 (2008)

[jakes mom]: [honey] be honest.
Jake: stop [making up words] mom! ❋ Doge Kid (2020)

The wealthy little old lady, a widow for the eighth time, handed an ad. over the desk at the office of her local newspaper. » Put that in the Personal Contact Me section please » she said to the girl behind the desk » I feel a bit low. The right man might be able to give me a bit of a top up » The ad read » Widow, reliable independent person, with down to earth outlook, seeks [honest man] who likes simple [home cooking]. Reply early. Don’t be late this may be your [Shangri-la] » ❋ Stias (2005)

To be honest, [I think] you’re [really good] at [soccer]. Really. ❋ Domokato (2009)

i really don’t like to stick [pineapples] up [my arse]…[to be honest]. But have you tried a cucumber? ❋ Moose Head (2005)

To be honest, I really have [no idea] what I’m talking about and use [cliches] where [smarter] people use original thought. ❋ Tom Hefner (2011)

[To be honest], I’m [full of bullshit]. ❋ Hi, My Name Is Name (2007)