honesty
Americannoun
plural
honesties-
the quality or fact of being honest; uprightness and fairness.
- Antonyms:
- dishonesty
-
truthfulness, sincerity, or frankness.
-
freedom from deceit or fraud.
-
Botany. a plant, Lunaria annua, of the mustard family, having clusters of purple flowers and semitransparent, satiny pods.
-
Obsolete. chastity.
noun
-
the condition of being honest
-
sincerity or fairness
-
archaic virtue or respect
-
Also called: moonwort. satinpod. a purple-flowered SE European plant, Lunaria annua, cultivated for its flattened silvery pods, which are used for indoor decoration: family Brassicaceae (crucifers)
Related Words
See honor.
Other Word Forms
- overhonesty noun
Etymology
Origin of honesty
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English honeste, from Middle French, from Latin honestās; honest, -ty 2
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Teaching the role of religion in that history isn’t a religious project but an exercise in intellectual honesty.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026
He added that he had not hidden "a single thing" about making the joke, and that honesty was a "key character for any politician".
From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026
"Above all, I'm especially in awe of Duffy - for her honesty and courage."
From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026
Though Brendon faced challenges in his life and career, his work on Buffy remains a testament to his ability to connect with audiences through humor, loyalty, and emotional honesty.
From Salon • Mar. 21, 2026
And she withdrew, sliding the door closed behind her.“People expect you to have cooler friends than us,” said Luna, once again displaying her knack for embarrassing honesty.
From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
