honest
gb/ˈɑnɪst/ us/ˈɑnɪst/
A2
English
~ 2800
Senses
0 senses
adjective
A2
property
1
Telling the truth
Saying what is true and not lying or cheating.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is honest about [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'honest' with 'polite', but honesty is about truth, not manners.
Synonyms
truthful (Very close in meaning, but 'truthful' focuses more specifically on statements being true rather than overall character.)
Antonyms
dishonest (Describes someone who lies, cheats, or hides the truth.)
Collocations
honest answer
|honest person
|honest opinion
|honest mistake
|honest truth
Themes
character
|ethics
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She is an honest person who never lies.
- Please give me an honest answer to my question.
- He was honest about his past mistakes.
- I appreciate your honest feedback.
- The politician promised to be open and honest with the public.
Learner examples
- She is an honest girl.
- I want an honest answer.
- He is honest about his work.
- We need an honest friend.
- She gave an honest opinion.
adjective
B1
property
2
Morally good and fair
Doing the right thing and treating people fairly.
Usage pattern:
an honest [job/living/work]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'honest' here when they mean 'legal', but 'honest' implies both legality and fairness.
Synonyms
upright (Formal; emphasizes strong moral principles.)
Antonyms
corrupt (Behaving immorally, often for personal gain.)
Collocations
honest living
|honest work
|honest man
|honest trade
Themes
character
|ethics
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He earns an honest living as a carpenter.
- They are known as honest traders in the market.
- She has always been an honest judge, treating everyone equally.
- He built his fortune through honest work.
- An honest politician is rare these days.
Learner examples
- He makes an honest living.
- She does honest work.
- They are honest people.
- He is an honest worker.
- We like honest business.
adjective
B1
property
3
Simple and genuine
Plain and true, not trying to trick or impress people.
Usage pattern:
an honest [mistake/effort]
Synonyms
genuine (Focuses on being real or sincere rather than deceptive.)
Antonyms
pretentious (Trying to impress by showing more importance than is real.)
Collocations
honest effort
|honest mistake
|honest attempt
Themes
communication
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- It was an honest mistake; she didn't mean to break the vase.
- I made an honest effort to finish on time.
- That's my honest opinion, without exaggeration.
- He gave an honest description of the event.
- It was an honest attempt, though it failed.
Learner examples
- It was an honest mistake.
- I made an honest effort.
- That is my honest opinion.
- She gave an honest answer.
- He made an honest try.
Grammar
Dictionary form
honest
IPA
GB/ˈɑnɪst/
US/ˈɑnɪst/
Syllables & stress
hon - est (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (hon)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: honest
Word family
Negative and opposite forms
Expressions
honest to God
1/ˈɑnɪst tə ɡˈɑd/
fixed phrase
informal
Strongly swear something is true
Used to say you are telling the truth very seriously.
Examples
- Honest to God, I didn't know about it.
- Honest to God, that's the funniest thing I've ever heard.
make an honest living
1/mˈeɪk ən ˈɑnɪst lˈɪvɪŋ/
fixed phrase
Earn money fairly through work
To get money from work that is legal and fair.
Examples
- He makes an honest living as a mechanic.
- She moved to the city to make an honest living.
honest broker
1/ˈɑnɪst bɹˈoʊkɚ/
fixed phrase
Trusted neutral mediator
A person who helps two sides agree by being fair and trusted.
Examples
- The UN acted as an honest broker in the peace talks.
- We need an honest broker to settle this dispute.
- We need an honest broker to resolve this dispute.
to be honest
1/tə bˈi ˈɑnɪst/
fixed phrase
Introducing a truthful statement
Used before saying what you really think or feel.
Examples
- To be honest, I don't like this movie much.
- To be honest, I was surprised by the result.
to be honest
1/tə bˈi ˈɑnɪst/
fixed phrase
said to be frank
Use this to say your true opinion.
Examples
- To be honest, I don’t really like this movie.
- I’m tired, to be honest.
- To be honest, I forgot about the meeting.
to be honest
2/tə bˈi ˈɑnɪst/
fixed phrase
introducing a frank statement
used before you say something that is true, especially if it may be surprising, very direct, or not polite.
Examples
- To be honest, I don't really like this restaurant.
- It wasn't a great game, to be honest.
- To be honest, I was scared when the plane started to shake.
to be honest
3/tə bˈi ˈɑnɪst/
fixed phrase
introducing a truthful statement
Used before saying something that is true, even if it may be surprising or not what someone wants to hear.
Examples
- To be honest, I didn’t enjoy the party.
- I was a bit nervous, to be honest.