honesty

American  

[on-uh-stee] / ˈɒn ə sti /

noun

honesties plural

1. the quality or fact of being honest; uprightness and fairness.

   Synonyms:

   rectitude, probity, integrity

   Antonyms:

   dishonesty

2. truthfulness, sincerity, or frankness.

   Synonyms:

   veracity, candor

3. freedom from deceit or fraud.

4. Botany. a plant, Lunaria annua, of the mustard family, having clusters of purple flowers and semitransparent, satiny pods.

5. Obsolete. chastity.

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honesty British  

/ ˈɒnɪstɪ /

noun

1. the condition of being honest

2. sincerity or fairness

3. archaic virtue or respect

4. 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)

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Synonym Usage

See honor.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• overhonesty
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• honesties
  plural

Etymology

Origin of honesty

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English honeste, from Middle French, from Latin honestās; see honest, -ty ²

Explanation

If you tell the truth, you possess the quality of honesty. If someone offers a harsh criticism of your latest attempt at songwriting, you might say, "Thank you for your honesty." Even if you don't mean it. The original meaning of honesty had more to do with honor than truthfulness, although the two are naturally linked. The trait of honesty has been prized for centuries, and Shakespeare once wrote, "Honesty is the best policy. If I lose mine honor, I lose myself." The honesty flower, sometimes called the money plant, is so named because its coin-shaped seedpods are translucent, the idea of transparency symbolizing integrity.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

honesty honesties

It’s nice to hear some honesty about the city’s perilous finances.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026

"Using AI to tell queer stories can feel unfair to existing creatives who are already capable of crafting these narratives with honesty and depth," Natts Jadaone, writer of the film "Rookie", told AFP.

From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026

Yet for all its honesty about that dislocation, the film remains remarkably hopeful.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026

We will take time to reflect on the report with humility, honesty and determination.

From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2026

Rush set the terms for what became a high-stakes game of honesty by proposing that they dispense with the usual topics and report to each other on their respective dreams.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

The honesties and fun that went into it seem childlike enough after 30 years of rough and sobering history.

From Time Magazine Archive

A sort of documentary of Bumper's last three days before retirement, the book tends to be a bit ostentatious in such honesties, as if they established Bumper's credibility.

From Time Magazine Archive

“What do you mean?” he asked her, and she heard a looming disagreement in his voice; he, too, believed in unbending, unambiguous honesties.

From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

But blameworthy surely I am, thus generally to speake: for some I know, although not many, for whose poore honesties I dare aduenture mine owne.

From The Palace of Pleasure Volume 3 by Painter, William

All God's poor are not educated up to the point of even small, fine honesties, and the so-called "generous" are not always "just" or honest.

From Solomon Crow's Christmas Pockets and Other Tales by Stuart, Ruth McEnery

Related Words

• candor
• confidence
• fairness
• faithfulness
• frankness
• honor
• integrity
• loyalty
• morality
• probity
• rectitude
• responsibility
• self-respect
• sincerity
• trustworthiness
• veracity
• virtue