ENGLISH
REFERENCE

honorable

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈɑnɝəbəɫ// UK //ˈɒnəɹəbəl// hon·or·able

adj. deserving respect because you are honest and follow high moral standards. You use this to describe someone who does the right thing even when it is difficult.

adj. deserving of esteem or respect; characterized by integrity and a strict adherence to ethical principles. Often used as a formal title or to describe actions that align with a code of conduct.


SIMPLE

He made the honorable choice to tell the truth.

CONTEXTUAL

The politician decided that the only honorable course of action was to resign after the scandal became public.

COMPLEX

While the strategy was legally permissible, the board members debated whether it was truly honorable to exploit a loophole that would harm their long-term partners.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From Middle English honourable, from Old French honorable, honurable, from Latin honōrābilis, from honōrō (“I honour”); cognate with Italian onorabile, Spanish honorable. By surface analysis, honor + -able. In this sense, largely displaced Old English ārfæst.

Usage

Commonly precedes the noun it modifies; frequently used as a formal honorific for judges or government officials.

Pitfall

an honorous manan honorable manLearners sometimes confuse the adjective 'honorable' with 'honorary' or invent forms like 'honorous' based on the noun 'honor'.

Idioms1 entry

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