What does honest-to-goodness mean?
Honest-to-goodness means (attributive only) Real; genuine..
Honest-to-goodness
Pronunciation varies by accent · adjective
Meaning
(attributive only) Real; genuine..
Definitions by Sense
- (attributive only) Real; genuine.
- Alternative form of honest to goodness.
Example Sentences
Is the clam chowder made with honest-to-goodness clams?
[']I'm a real, slam-bang, honest-to-goodness, three-fisted humdinger. I'm a bona fide supraman.' 'Superman?' Clevinger cried. 'Superman?' 'Supraman,' Yossarian corrected.
At first glance, Lincoln seemed caught in a time warp—a place of 1930s tourist cabins and Mom-and-Pop diners where one could get honest-to-goodness milk shakes, made in a blender with real ice cream.
Captain Mark heard about it; and dropped in after school to commend his protege. "Young lady, that's the most honest-to-goodness useful thing I ever heard hail from a schoolroom!"
Synonyms for honest-to-goodness
Antonyms for honest-to-goodness
Related Words
Word Forms
- more honest-to-goodness
- most honest-to-goodness
Usage Notes
Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.
Practice and Learn More
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a synonym for honest-to-goodness?
Common synonyms include old, genuine, sure-enough, honest-to-god.
What is the opposite of honest-to-goodness?
The opposite depends on the specific sense.
How do you use honest-to-goodness in a sentence?
Is the clam chowder made with honest-to-goodness clams?
Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.