truthful

adjective

truth·​ful ˈtrüth-fəl How to pronounce truthful (audio)
: telling or disposed to tell the truth
a truthful witness
truthfully adverb
truthfulness noun

Examples of truthful in a Sentence

We were not entirely truthful with her about where we went last night. I like keeping the house clean but, to be truthful, I hate vacuuming.
Recent Examples on the Web Weisselberg was credited with giving truthful testimony and the entities were convicted and fined. Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2024 Attorneys say Autry's truthful testimony also provides the necessary alibi for Adams, WREG reported. CBS News, 28 Feb. 2024 People trying to communicate truthful, valuable messages don’t repeat enough. Jessica Dulong, CNN, 23 Feb. 2024 Judge George Gallagher, who presides in the 396th District Court in Tarrant County, had the discretion to believe the prospective jurors offered truthful responses, the state argued. Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Feb. 2024 Coming from another speaker whose relationship with Black Americans was less transactional, less transparently condescending, more respectful and more truthful, these comments might have hummed with it’s-just-us humor. Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2024 Additionally, social media users may not always be truthful or accurate in their responses. Elijah Clark, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 To be imperfectly truthful, I was intimidated by his reality— a lonely homosexual adult who dressed funnily in summery shirts and baggy pants, belt buckle to the side, his sad moon-face pocked as the moon itself, and with a name like a medieval vender’s. Billy Collins, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2024 The only thing that limits your age is not being truthful about your age. Naledi Ushe, USA TODAY, 5 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'truthful.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1567, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of truthful was circa 1567

Dictionary Entries Near truthful

Cite this Entry

“Truthful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/truthful. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

truthful

adjective
truth·​ful ˈtrüth-fəl How to pronounce truthful (audio)
: telling or being in the habit of telling the truth
truthfully adverb
truthfulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on truthful

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