HOW TO PRONOUNCE
honest
/ˈɑ.nɪst/
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American Pronunciation Guide · 1:05
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The initial h is silent.
The h is silent. Stress the first syllable and keep the second vowel lighter.
TRY SAYING
“An honest answer.”
APG practice sentence · CC BY-SA 4.0
Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗What does honest mean?
adjective
- Scrupulous with regard to telling the truth; not given to swindling, lying, or fraud; upright.
- True, especially as far as is known by the person making the statement; fair; unbiased.
- In good faith; without malice.
More meanings (8)
adjective
- Accurate.
- Authentic; full.
- Earned or acquired in a fair manner.
- Open; frank.
- (obsolete) Decent; honourable; suitable; becoming.
- (obsolete) Chaste; faithful; virtuous.
adverb
- Honestly; really.
verb
- (obsolete) To adorn or grace; to honour; to make becoming, appropriate, or honourable.
Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0
IPA pronunciation
/ˈɑ.nɪst/
Pronunciation used in the listening tip.
Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.
In the pages of books
See this word in context.
I have good witness of this, therefore I beseech your majesty, do not cast away an honest man for a villain’s accusation.
All these turns which he was making through the streets seemed to indicate that he was not a simple and honest man.
More book examples (3)
“Your brother would not have spoken well of me unless he believed what he was saying. He is too honest for that.”
I had no notion of living on the honest and generous sympathy of my colored brother, Johnson, or that of the abolitionists.
Good, honest, retired ministers would come periodically and sell me stock in some new enterprise that had millions in it--in its prospectus.