honest

UK: /ˈɒnɪst/ US: /ˈɑnɪst/ ,(on′ist)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

hon•est /ˈɑnɪst/   adj. 

1. honorable in principles, intentions, and actions;
   upright:
   decent, honest folk.
2. showing fairness and trustworthiness:
   honest business dealings.
3. gained fairly:
   to earn an honest living.
4. sincere;
   open:
   an honest face.
5. truthful or creditable:
   He gave an honest account of how he had received the money.

hon•es•ty, n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

hon•est  (on′ist), adj. 

1. honorable in principles, intentions, and actions;
   upright and fair:
   an honest person.
2. showing uprightness and fairness:
   honest dealings.
3. gained or obtained fairly:
   honest wealth.
4. sincere;
   frank:
   an honest face.
5. genuine or unadulterated:
   honest commodities.
6. respectable;
   having a good reputation:
   an honest name.
7. truthful or creditable:
   honest weights.
8. humble, plain, or unadorned.
9. [Archaic.] chaste;
   virtuous.

• Latin honestus honorable, equivalent. to hones- (variant stem of honōs) honor + -tus adjective, adjectival suffix
• Middle French
• Middle English honeste 1250–1300

hon′est•ness, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. just, incorruptible, trusty, trustworthy.
• 2. fair.
• 4. straightforward, candid.
• 5, 9. pure.

Antonyms

• 1. dishonest, corrupt.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

honest / ˈɒnɪst/ adjective

1. not given to lying, cheating, stealing, etc; trustworthy
2. not false or misleading; genuine
3. just or fair: honest wages
4. characterized by sincerity and candour: an honest appraisal
5. without pretensions or artificial traits: honest farmers
6. (of a woman) respectable
7. honest broker ⇒ a mediator in disputes, esp international ones
8. make an honest woman of ⇒ to marry (a woman, esp one who is pregnant) to prevent scandal

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French honeste, from Latin honestus distinguished, from honōs honour