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Synonyms

truthful

American  
[trooth-fuhl] / ˈtruθ fəl /

adjective

  1. telling the truth, especially habitually.

    a truthful person.
    Synonyms:
    frank, candid, trustworthy, honest

  2. conforming to truth.

    a truthful statement.

  3. corresponding with reality.

    a truthful portrait.
truthful British  
/ ˈtruːθfʊl /

adjective

  1. telling or expressing the truth; honest or candid

  2. realistic

    a truthful portrayal of the king
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • overtruthful adjective
  • overtruthfully adverb
  • overtruthfulness noun
  • quasi-truthful adjective
  • quasi-truthfully adverb
  • semitruthful adjective
  • semitruthfully adverb
  • semitruthfulness noun
  • truthfully adverb
  • truthfulness noun

Etymology

Origin of truthful

First recorded in 1590–1600; truth + -ful

Explanation

Truthful means honest or believable. A truthful answer to a question doesn't mince words—it is completely straightforward and accurate. If your little sister asks you whether the Tooth Fairy is real, you'll have to consider how truthful you want to be. You can think about whether the truthful answer will be to upsetting for her, since you're not under oath in a courtroom, where you're legally obligated to be truthful. A now-obsolete adjective with the same meaning was truthy, "characterized by truth."

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

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.

In a recent interview, Ortiz said he chose not to inform police because he hadn’t believed that Hatley was being truthful.

From Slate • Apr. 6, 2026

The trick is to make truthful revelation the rational choice and misrepresentation unprofitable.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

An immigration judge found "overwhelming evidence" that Kordia was truthful about the funds, reports the Associated Press news agency.

From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026

"Of course her work is going to be truthful."

From Barron's • Mar. 5, 2026

I had told him we had to be truthful, and now I was sorry mouth what he would have to tell us in return.

From "The Pigman" by Paul Zindel

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.