adjective
-
telling or expressing the truth; honest or candid
-
realistic
a truthful portrayal of the king
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of truthful
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."
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 is better to be transparent and truthful in situations like this because ultimately these kinds of issues come to the surface sooner or later.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026
Grasso said the "turning point" for her was being truthful with her psychiatrist about her history and symptoms.
From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026
She based her decision on "a parallel analysis of several channels that have been posting truthful information for a long time."
From Barron's ● Aug. 16, 2026
“The Court recognized what we’ve said from the beginning: California cannot fix consumer confusion by restricting truthful speech.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
That meant that Anna was likely still in her house at 8:30—further evidence that Bryan had been truthful about taking her home.
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
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.
