honest
- 01 B1 Intermediate
telling the truth and not hiding things from other people.
scrupulous with regard to telling the truth; not given to lying, deception, or fraud.
Simple“To be honest, I didn't really enjoy the movie last night.”
In context“The manager appreciated her honest assessment of the project's failings, even though the news was difficult to hear.”
Synonyms - 02 B1 Intermediate
earned or done in a fair way that follows the rules.
acquired or conducted in a fair, legal, and ethical manner.
Simple“He made an honest living working as a carpenter for twenty years.”
In context“The auditor confirmed that the company had made an honest effort to comply with the new financial regulations.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
simple, real, and not trying to impress anyone.
unpretentious and genuine; characterized by a lack of sophistication or artifice.
Simple“The restaurant serves good, honest food at a reasonable price.”
In context“There was an honest quality to his craftsmanship that made the simple wooden chair more appealing than the mass-produced alternatives.”
Antonyms
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”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.