Word
honest
Phoneticshon·est, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɑnəst/
UK/ˈɒnɪst/
Definitions
01truthful
B1 · Intermediate
adj. telling the truth and not hiding things from other people.
adj. scrupulous with regard to telling the truth; not given to lying, deception, or fraud.
日本語:正直※
“To be honest, I didn't really enjoy the movie last night.”
“The manager appreciated her honest assessment of the project's failings, even though the news was difficult to hear.”
Synonyms
02fair and legal
B1 · Intermediate
adj. earned or done in a fair way that follows the rules.
adj. acquired or conducted in a fair, legal, and ethical manner.
日本語:まとも※
“He made an honest living working as a carpenter for twenty years.”
“The auditor confirmed that the company had made an honest effort to comply with the new financial regulations.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
03simple and direct
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. simple, real, and not trying to impress anyone.
adj. unpretentious and genuine; characterized by a lack of sophistication or artifice.
“The restaurant serves good, honest food at a reasonable price.”
“There was an honest quality to his craftsmanship that made the simple wooden chair more appealing than the mass-produced alternatives.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “honest” in context.
Verb
01. honest about
“You must be honest about your previous work experience.”
adj + prep
02. honest with
“It is important to be honest with yourself about your limitations.”
adj + prep
03. keep honest
“We need independent auditors to keep the corporation honest.”
verb + adj
Adjective
04. brutally honest
“I need you to be brutally honest with me about my performance.”
adv + adj
05. perfectly honest
“To be perfectly honest, I don't think this plan will work.”
adv + adj
06. scrupulously honest
“The accountant was known for being scrupulously honest in all his dealings.”
adv + adj
Noun
07. honest living
“He decided to leave his life of crime and earn an honest living.”
adj + noun
08. honest mistake
“I forgot to include the attachment, but it was an honest mistake.”
adj + noun
09. honest opinion
“Thank you for giving me your honest opinion on the matter.”
adj + noun
10. be completely honest
“To be completely honest, I forgot all about our meeting.”
11. give an honest opinion
“Could you please give me your honest opinion on my new book?”
12. make an honest living
“He worked two jobs just to make an honest living for his family.”
Etymology
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.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Related words
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B1 · IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/honest
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0