honesty
noun
hon·es·ty ˈä-nə-stē 
plural honesties
1
a
: adherence to the facts : sincerity
doubted the honesty of the witness
b
: fairness and straightforwardness of conduct
calling for honesty in politics
2
: any of a genus (Lunaria) of European herbs of the mustard family with toothed leaves and flat disk-shaped siliques
3
obsolete : chastity
Synonyms
- integrity
- probity
- truthfulness
- veracity
- verity
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
She is admired for her kindness and her honesty. He demands honesty from everyone who works for him. He didn't even have enough honesty to tell me he was leaving.
Recent Examples on the Web What appealed to the former president was McCurdy's honesty and ability to render him in all of his humanity. 
Adrienne L. Childs, CNN, 7 Sep. 2022 There is no intellectual honesty or fidelity to the truth in the Democratic Party of today. Fox News Staff, Fox News, 20 Aug. 2022 Again, the people that are for me are the mad ones, the ones committed to truth-telling and presence, and honesty. Evan Nicole Brown, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Sep. 2022 Accepting help requires vulnerability; Emmons has managed it by tending toward extreme honesty in both her life and work. Lorraine Berry, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2022 As the rapper enters the Chinglish era, his intention is to capture honesty in his music and share it with listeners. Jack Irvin, Peoplemag, 25 Aug. 2022 Buechner’s eloquence and honesty eventually turned him into a mentor to a generation of pastors. John Blake, CNN, 21 Aug. 2022 It’s this raw, unguarded honesty that takes her book beyond many others of similar subject. Brandy Schillace, WSJ, 19 Aug. 2022 Except this one involved [checks notes] self-sacrifice, self-improvement, and radical honesty. Dan Snierson, EW.com, 16 Aug. 2022 See More
Adrienne L. Childs, CNN, 7 Sep. 2022 There is no intellectual honesty or fidelity to the truth in the Democratic Party of today. Fox News Staff, Fox News, 20 Aug. 2022 Again, the people that are for me are the mad ones, the ones committed to truth-telling and presence, and honesty. Evan Nicole Brown, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Sep. 2022 Accepting help requires vulnerability; Emmons has managed it by tending toward extreme honesty in both her life and work. Lorraine Berry, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2022 As the rapper enters the Chinglish era, his intention is to capture honesty in his music and share it with listeners. Jack Irvin, Peoplemag, 25 Aug. 2022 Buechner’s eloquence and honesty eventually turned him into a mentor to a generation of pastors. John Blake, CNN, 21 Aug. 2022 It’s this raw, unguarded honesty that takes her book beyond many others of similar subject. Brandy Schillace, WSJ, 19 Aug. 2022 Except this one involved [checks notes] self-sacrifice, self-improvement, and radical honesty. Dan Snierson, EW.com, 16 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
see honest entry 1
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3
Phrases Containing honesty
Kids Definition
honesty
noun
hon·es·ty ˈä-nə-stē
: the quality or state of being truthful and fair
honesty
noun
1
as in integrity
devotion to telling the truth George Washington has gone down in history for his honesty Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- integrity
- sincerity
- truthfulness
- reliability
- authenticity
- probity
- credibility
- veracity
- frankness
- forthrightness
- candor
- reliableness
- truth
- candidness
- verity
- straightforwardness
- accuracy
- scrupulousness
- trustworthiness
- dependability
- objectivity
- honorableness
- ingenuousness
- guilelessness
- incorruptibility
- uprightness
- rectitude
- artlessness
- righteousness
- scrupulosity
- good faith
- genuineness
- honor
- right-mindedness
- correctness
- trustability
- plainspokenness
- trustiness
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- dishonesty
- lying
- deceit
- hypocrisy
- untruthfulness
- deception
- duplicity
- mendacity
- insincerity
- deceitfulness
- falsity
- smoothness
- falseness
- dissimulation
- fakery
- artifice
- dissembling
- cunning
- mendaciousness
- crookedness
- unscrupulousness
- slyness
- trickery
- perfidy
- wiliness
- underhandedness
- guile
- dupery
- indirection
- cunningness
- insidiousness
- craftiness
- furtiveness
- slipperiness
- two-facedness
- slickness
- prevarication
- cozenage
- exaggeration
- equivocation
- beguilement
- oiliness
- double-dealing
- inaccuracy
- fraudulentness
- treacherousness
2
as in morality
conduct that conforms to an accepted standard of right and wrong he's known for his honesty in business dealings Synonyms & Similar Words
- integrity
- morality
- virtue
- goodness
- decency
- ethics
- probity
- rightness
- morals
- character
- uprightness
- rectitude
- honor
- virtuousness
- righteousness
- scrupulousness
- incorruptibility
- decorum
- correctness
- appropriateness
- scrupulosity
- high-mindedness
- etiquette
- propriety
- fitness
- seemliness
- right-mindedness
- irreproachability
- irreproachableness
- decorousness
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- evil
- immorality
- wickedness
- badness
- villainy
- sin
- dishonesty
- indiscretion
- iniquity
- degradation
- impropriety
- indecency
- perversion
- indecorum
- depravity
- sinfulness
- evildoing
- unscrupulousness
- debauchery
- degeneracy
- meanness
- viciousness
- crookedness
- corruption
- vileness
- underhandedness
- lowness
- pervertedness
3
as in honor
faithfulness to high moral standards she knew she could count on her students' honesty, even if she left the classroom for a few moments during the test Synonyms & Similar Words
- integrity
- honor
- morality
- probity
- virtue
- uprightness
- rectitude
- justice
- fairness
- respectability
- righteousness
- conscientiousness
- decency
- reputability
- scrupulousness
- nobility
- incorruptibility
- virtuousness
- blamelessness
- character
- high-mindedness
- right-mindedness
- irreproachability
- irreproachableness
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- dishonesty
- baseness
- dishonor
- shamelessness
- degradation
- corruption
- venality
- lowness
- perversion
- decadence
- depravity
- looseness
- corruptness
- disgrace
- criminality
- debasement
- corruptibility
- dissipation
- profligacy
- immorality
- unscrupulousness
- degeneracy
- dissoluteness
- debauchery
- crookedness
- unrighteousness
- rascality
- meanness
- blameworthiness
- disreputableness
- disgracefulness
- knavery
- pervertedness
- rottenness
- sinfulness
- wickedness
- vileness
- villainy
- dissipatedness
- roguishness
- wretchedness
- reprehensibleness
4
as in sincerity
the free expression of one's true feelings and opinions I am speaking with all honesty when I say that your apple pie is the best I've ever tasted Synonyms & Similar Words
- sincerity
- frankness
- forthrightness
- directness
- candor
- candidness
- straightforwardness
- bluntness
- openness
- outspokenness
- simplicity
- openheartedness
- plainness
- earnestness
- unguardedness
- unreserve
- plainspokenness
- unreservedness
- plumpness
- naïveté
- sobriety
- genuineness
- artlessness
- freedom
- naivete
- communicativeness
- naiveté
- unsophistication
- unrestraint
- uninhibitedness
- license
- unrestrainedness
- licence
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- dissimulation
- indirection
- dissembling
- evasiveness
- secretiveness
- restraint
- reticence
- tact
- inhibition
- shyness
- diplomacy
- reserve
- circuitousness
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of honesty are honor, integrity, and probity. While all these words mean "uprightness of character or action," honesty implies a refusal to lie, steal, or deceive in any way.
While the synonyms honor and honesty are close in meaning, honor suggests an active or anxious regard for the standards of one's profession, calling, or position.
The meanings of integrity and honesty largely overlap; however, integrity implies trustworthiness and incorruptibility to a degree that one is incapable of being false to a trust, responsibility, or pledge.
While in some cases nearly identical to honesty, probity implies tried and proven honesty or integrity.