"to be honest" meaning in English

See to be honest in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Phrase

Audio: En-au-to be honest.ogg [Australia]
Head templates: {{head|en|phrase}} to be honest
  1. (idiomatic) Frankly, honestly. Tags: idiomatic Synonyms: if I'm honest, in all honesty, TBH, tbh Related terms: for sure, to be fair, to be frank, to be sure Translations (frankly): sözün düzü (Azerbaijani), sözün açığı (Azerbaijani), 講真 (Chinese Cantonese), 讲真 (gong² zan¹) (Chinese Cantonese), 老實說 (Chinese Mandarin), 老实说 (lǎoshíshuō) (Chinese Mandarin), popravdě řečeno (Czech), upřímně řečeno (Czech), for at være ærlig (Danish), eerlijk gezegd (Dutch), rehellisesti (Finnish), vilpittömästi (Finnish), pour être honnête (French), franchement (French), en toute franchise (French), ehrlich gesagt (German), εδώ που τα λέμε (edó pou ta léme) (Greek), για να είμαι ειλικρινής (gia na eímai eilikrinís) (Greek), hogy őszinte legyek (Hungarian), őszintén szólva (Hungarian), az igazat megvallva (Hungarian), satt best að segja (Icelandic), ad essere sincero (Italian), 正直に言うと (shōjiki ni iu to) (alt: しょうじきにいうと) (Japanese), for å være ærlig (Norwegian), szczerze mówiąc (Polish), prawdę mówiąc (Polish), będąc szczerym (Polish), para ser honesto (english: by a male) (Portuguese), para ser honesta (english: by a female) (Portuguese), че́стно говоря́ (čéstno govorjá) (Russian), е́сли че́стно (jésli čéstno) (Russian), para ser honesta (english: by a female) (Spanish), para ser honesto (english: by a male) (Spanish), si me apuras (Spanish), för att vara ärlig (Swedish), ska jag vara ärlig (Swedish), dürüst olmak gerekirse (Turkish), açık söylemek gerekirse (Turkish), doğruyu söylemek gerekirse (Turkish), doğrusunu söylemek gerekirse (Turkish), ne yalan söyleyeyim (Turkish), че́сно ка́жучи (čésno kážučy) (Ukrainian), якщо́ че́сно (jakščó čésno) (Ukrainian), a dweud y gwir (Welsh), a bod yn onest (Welsh)

Alternative forms

Download JSON data for to be honest meaning in English (6.1kB)

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  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "phrase"
      },
      "expansion": "to be honest",
      "name": "head"
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  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "phrase",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Cantonese terms with redundant transliterations",
          "parents": [
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          "source": "w"
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          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English discourse markers",
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      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "I don't mind, to be honest."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Frankly, honestly."
      ],
      "id": "en-to_be_honest-en-phrase-LBTIC8kk",
      "links": [
        [
          "Frankly",
          "frankly"
        ],
        [
          "honestly",
          "honestly"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) Frankly, honestly."
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "word": "for sure"
        },
        {
          "word": "to be fair"
        },
        {
          "word": "to be frank"
        },
        {
          "word": "to be sure"
        }
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "if I'm honest"
        },
        {
          "word": "in all honesty"
        },
        {
          "word": "TBH"
        },
        {
          "word": "tbh"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "code": "az",
          "lang": "Azerbaijani",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "sözün düzü"
        },
        {
          "code": "az",
          "lang": "Azerbaijani",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "sözün açığı"
        },
        {
          "code": "yue",
          "lang": "Chinese Cantonese",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "講真"
        },
        {
          "code": "yue",
          "lang": "Chinese Cantonese",
          "roman": "gong² zan¹",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "讲真"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "老實說"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "lǎoshíshuō",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "老实说"
        },
        {
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "popravdě řečeno"
        },
        {
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "upřímně řečeno"
        },
        {
          "code": "da",
          "lang": "Danish",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "for at være ærlig"
        },
        {
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "eerlijk gezegd"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "rehellisesti"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "vilpittömästi"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "pour être honnête"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "franchement"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "en toute franchise"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "ehrlich gesagt"
        },
        {
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "edó pou ta léme",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "εδώ που τα λέμε"
        },
        {
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "gia na eímai eilikrinís",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "για να είμαι ειλικρινής"
        },
        {
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "hogy őszinte legyek"
        },
        {
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "őszintén szólva"
        },
        {
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "az igazat megvallva"
        },
        {
          "code": "is",
          "lang": "Icelandic",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "satt best að segja"
        },
        {
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "ad essere sincero"
        },
        {
          "alt": "しょうじきにいうと",
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "shōjiki ni iu to",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "正直に言うと"
        },
        {
          "code": "no",
          "lang": "Norwegian",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "for å være ærlig"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "szczerze mówiąc"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "prawdę mówiąc"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "będąc szczerym"
        },
        {
          "code": "pt",
          "english": "by a male",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "para ser honesto"
        },
        {
          "code": "pt",
          "english": "by a female",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "para ser honesta"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "čéstno govorjá",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "че́стно говоря́"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "jésli čéstno",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "е́сли че́стно"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "english": "by a female",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "para ser honesta"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "english": "by a male",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "para ser honesto"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "si me apuras"
        },
        {
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "för att vara ärlig"
        },
        {
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "ska jag vara ärlig"
        },
        {
          "code": "tr",
          "lang": "Turkish",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "dürüst olmak gerekirse"
        },
        {
          "code": "tr",
          "lang": "Turkish",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "açık söylemek gerekirse"
        },
        {
          "code": "tr",
          "lang": "Turkish",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "doğruyu söylemek gerekirse"
        },
        {
          "code": "tr",
          "lang": "Turkish",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "doğrusunu söylemek gerekirse"
        },
        {
          "code": "tr",
          "lang": "Turkish",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "ne yalan söyleyeyim"
        },
        {
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "čésno kážučy",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "че́сно ка́жучи"
        },
        {
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "jakščó čésno",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "якщо́ че́сно"
        },
        {
          "code": "cy",
          "lang": "Welsh",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "a dweud y gwir"
        },
        {
          "code": "cy",
          "lang": "Welsh",
          "sense": "frankly",
          "word": "a bod yn onest"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "En-au-to be honest.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/a/a6/En-au-to_be_honest.ogg/En-au-to_be_honest.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/En-au-to_be_honest.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "to be honest"
}
{
  "head_templates": [
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      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "phrase"
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      "expansion": "to be honest",
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  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "phrase",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "for sure"
    },
    {
      "word": "to be fair"
    },
    {
      "word": "to be frank"
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    {
      "word": "to be sure"
    }
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        "English idioms",
        "English lemmas",
        "English multiword terms",
        "English phrases",
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        "English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys"
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      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "I don't mind, to be honest."
        }
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      "glosses": [
        "Frankly, honestly."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Frankly",
          "frankly"
        ],
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          "honestly",
          "honestly"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) Frankly, honestly."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ]
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      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/En-au-to_be_honest.ogg",
      "tags": [
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  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "if I'm honest"
    },
    {
      "word": "in all honesty"
    },
    {
      "word": "TBH"
    },
    {
      "word": "tbh"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "az",
      "lang": "Azerbaijani",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "sözün düzü"
    },
    {
      "code": "az",
      "lang": "Azerbaijani",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "sözün açığı"
    },
    {
      "code": "yue",
      "lang": "Chinese Cantonese",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "講真"
    },
    {
      "code": "yue",
      "lang": "Chinese Cantonese",
      "roman": "gong² zan¹",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "讲真"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "老實說"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "lǎoshíshuō",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "老实说"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "popravdě řečeno"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "upřímně řečeno"
    },
    {
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "for at være ærlig"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "eerlijk gezegd"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "rehellisesti"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "vilpittömästi"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "pour être honnête"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "franchement"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "en toute franchise"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "ehrlich gesagt"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "edó pou ta léme",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "εδώ που τα λέμε"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "gia na eímai eilikrinís",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "για να είμαι ειλικρινής"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "hogy őszinte legyek"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "őszintén szólva"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "az igazat megvallva"
    },
    {
      "code": "is",
      "lang": "Icelandic",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "satt best að segja"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "ad essere sincero"
    },
    {
      "alt": "しょうじきにいうと",
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "shōjiki ni iu to",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "正直に言うと"
    },
    {
      "code": "no",
      "lang": "Norwegian",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "for å være ærlig"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "szczerze mówiąc"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "prawdę mówiąc"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "będąc szczerym"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "english": "by a male",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "para ser honesto"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "english": "by a female",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "para ser honesta"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "čéstno govorjá",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "че́стно говоря́"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "jésli čéstno",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "е́сли че́стно"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "english": "by a female",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "para ser honesta"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "english": "by a male",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "para ser honesto"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "si me apuras"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "för att vara ärlig"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "ska jag vara ärlig"
    },
    {
      "code": "tr",
      "lang": "Turkish",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "dürüst olmak gerekirse"
    },
    {
      "code": "tr",
      "lang": "Turkish",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "açık söylemek gerekirse"
    },
    {
      "code": "tr",
      "lang": "Turkish",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "doğruyu söylemek gerekirse"
    },
    {
      "code": "tr",
      "lang": "Turkish",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "doğrusunu söylemek gerekirse"
    },
    {
      "code": "tr",
      "lang": "Turkish",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "ne yalan söyleyeyim"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "čésno kážučy",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "че́сно ка́жучи"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "jakščó čésno",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "якщо́ че́сно"
    },
    {
      "code": "cy",
      "lang": "Welsh",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "a dweud y gwir"
    },
    {
      "code": "cy",
      "lang": "Welsh",
      "sense": "frankly",
      "word": "a bod yn onest"
    }
  ],
  "word": "to be honest"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-04-26 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-21 using wiktextract (93a6c53 and 21a9316). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.