on the level

Cultural  

1. Honest, without deception: “We doubted that the offer could be genuine, but it turned out to be on the level.”

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on the level Idioms  

1. Honest, straightforward, sincere, as in You can believe her—she's on the level. This expression may have come from Freemasonry, where the carpenter's level symbolizes integrity. [Late 1800s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

on the level

That’s in addition to $80 million worth of units in the building, including a three-story penthouse and two apartments on the level right below it.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 10, 2026

Tit-for-tat corruption can be difficult to prove, but more than tripling what you’re making one year into your term suggests that all is not on the level here.

From Slate ● Jul. 1, 2026

Under PSR, deductions are now set based upon on the level of the overspend, locked to a grid.

From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026

The bike charges to full battery in a couple of hours and has a range of 25 to 100 miles, depending on the level of electric assist used.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 1, 2026

We scuttled farther east, out on the level sea-plain, where we could at least stand up and keep going.

From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin