Honest and thorough

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "Honest and thorough" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe someone’s approach to a task, such as a report or an evaluation. Example: "Her honest and thorough analysis of the situation helped us make informed decisions." Alternative expressions include "candid and comprehensive" and "forthright and detailed."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

17 human-written examples

He says the report is "searingly honest" and thorough but denies that the BBC is wrong not to sack people.

The Guardian

One of the ways I try to build our relationship with the people who support us is by sending them honest and thorough updates.

The New York Times

The killing, which occurred on Mr. Putin's birthday, sullied Russia's reputation and drew international calls for an honest and thorough investigation.

The New York Times

Boards also need to have honest and thorough discussions about the board's weaknesses and needs when formulating criteria for new directors.

Harvard Business Review

And it reveals Mr. Williams as a genuinely poetic playwright whose knowledge of people is honest and thorough and whose sympathy is profoundly human.

The New York Times - Books

In this workshop, we’ll bring together faculty and students to imagine strategies that can move us beyond the paradigms of shutdown and escalation toward a more honest and thorough engagement with controversial material.

University of California, Berkeley

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

43 human-written examples

We believe in honest, systematic and thorough evaluation.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Modest, honest, methodical and thorough, he's good at what he does, and a decent man – exactly the sort of detective you'd want on your case in the 19th century, but not necessarily on your television in the 21st.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

In a world in which the regulators are honest, competent, and thorough, that is exactly how it should work.

Huffington Post

Repeating makes many people unconsciously think of her that way, even though she has always been found to have been honest and legal by thorough studies by the right-wing Bengazi committee (which found nothing) and the FBI (which found nothing to charge her with). Yet the framing worked.

HuffPost

Repeating makes many people unconsciously think of her that way, even though she has been found to have been honest and legal by thorough studies by the right-wing Bengazi committee (which found nothing) and the FBI (which found nothing to charge her with, except missing the mark '(C)' in the body of 3 out of 110,000 emails).

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Combine "honest and thorough" with specific nouns to enhance clarity, such as "an honest and thorough review" or "an honest and thorough evaluation".

Common error

Avoid using "honest and thorough" to describe inherently subjective opinions or feelings; instead, reserve it for objective analyses or investigations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "honest and thorough" primarily functions as a descriptive adjective phrase. It modifies nouns to indicate that something is both truthful and comprehensive. As Ludwig AI suggests, it effectively describes the quality of something like a review, analysis, or investigation, as reflected in the examples.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

54%

Wiki

24%

Academia

12%

Less common in

Science

6%

Formal & Business

4%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "honest and thorough" serves as a powerful adjective phrase, conveying both integrity and comprehensiveness in various contexts. Ludwig AI underlines its grammatical correctness and its common usage across News & Media, Academia and Wiki. It's important to use it to describe objective analyses or investigations, and to avoid overusing it in subjective contexts. Using related phrases like "truthful and exhaustive" or "sincere and comprehensive" can add nuance to your writing. In essence, "honest and thorough" is a valuable tool for effective and credible communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

truthful and exhaustive

Replaces "honest" with "truthful" and "thorough" with "exhaustive", focusing on accuracy and completeness.

sincere and comprehensive

Substitutes "honest" with "sincere" to highlight genuineness, and "thorough" with "comprehensive" to emphasize broad coverage.

forthright and detailed

Replaces "honest" with "forthright" indicating directness, and "thorough" with "detailed" emphasizing specificity.

candid and complete

Uses "candid" instead of "honest" to suggest openness, and "complete" for "thorough" to convey full inclusion.

accurate and meticulous

Replaces "honest" with "accurate" to stress correctness and "thorough" with "meticulous" focusing on precision.

genuine and painstaking

Substitutes "honest" with "genuine" to highlight authenticity and "thorough" with "painstaking" indicating great effort.

upright and scrupulous

Uses "upright" instead of "honest" to imply moral integrity, and "scrupulous" for "thorough" to convey diligence.

veracious and rigorous

Replaces "honest" with "veracious" to emphasize truthfulness, and "thorough" with "rigorous" stressing strictness and care.

trustworthy and in-depth

Substitutes "honest" with "trustworthy" to focus on reliability, and "thorough" with "in-depth" to highlight detailed analysis.

impartial and exhaustive

Emphasizes objectivity with "impartial" and comprehensiveness with "exhaustive" rather than just honesty and being thorough.

FAQs

How can I use "honest and thorough" in a sentence?

You can use "honest and thorough" to describe a review, investigation, or assessment, such as, "The committee conducted an "honest and thorough" investigation of the allegations."

What can I say instead of "honest and thorough"?

You can use alternatives like "truthful and exhaustive", "sincere and comprehensive", or "forthright and detailed" depending on the context.

When is it appropriate to use "honest and thorough"?

It is appropriate to use "honest and thorough" when describing something that requires both integrity and comprehensiveness, such as an investigation, report, or evaluation.

What's the difference between "honest and thorough" and "accurate and meticulous"?

"Accurate and meticulous" emphasizes precision and correctness, while "honest and thorough" emphasizes integrity and comprehensiveness. Though similar, the former focuses more on correctness and exactness, and the latter on veracity and completeness.