honest-to-goodness
Americanadjective
adverb
Etymology
Origin of honest-to-goodness
First recorded in 1915–20
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.
It sells a slim control bar that magnetically snaps to the bottom of the screen, giving you honest-to-goodness physical buttons for music and climate control.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 30, 2026
Actual honest-to-goodness electrical power, the stuff of Edison and Tesla that drives microphones, lighting and the internet.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2024
Yet “Problemista,” which Torres wrote, directed and stars in, reveals a new willingness to tell a relatable story with a riveting sketch of an honest-to-goodness person.
From New York Times ● Feb. 29, 2024
Originally recorded back in 1993, "The Lost Album" delivers the goods in the form of a dozen honest-to-goodness, previously unheard original Smithereens recordings.
From Salon ● Sep. 24, 2022
“Hard to say,” Clare responded quickly, which was the honest-to-goodness truth.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
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.
