completely honest

USAGE SUMMARY

"completely honest" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it in any sentence where you want to emphasize that someone is being truthful. For example, "My father always tries to be completely honest with me."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

I'm being completely honest.

The New Yorker

"Let's be completely honest.

The Guardian - Business

"I was always, I think, completely honest.

The New Yorker

(Higher-end, if I'm being completely honest).

The New York Times

To be completely honest, I wasn't ready.

The New Yorker

"She was being completely honest," he says.

The New York Times

Being completely honest, I do not.

The New York Times - Arts

." "Yasmin's completely honest," Mark suddenly shouted.

The New Yorker

"It was completely honest with Robin," said Wenger.

Independent

At that time, I wasn't completely honest with myself.

The New York Times - Magazine

"He's very emotional and completely honest about his passions.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In situations where trust is critical, such as negotiations or personal disclosures, using "completely honest" can help to build credibility and demonstrate sincerity.

Common error

Avoid using "completely honest" excessively, as it can make your communication sound insincere or defensive. Use it judiciously for emphasis where needed, not as a filler phrase.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "completely honest" functions as an intensifier modifying the adjective "honest". It strengthens the assertion of truthfulness, emphasizing the speaker's sincerity and lack of deception. Ludwig highlights its usability in expressing commitment to truth.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Wiki

25%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Science

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Academia

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "completely honest" is a commonly used phrase to emphasize sincerity and truthfulness. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically sound and appropriate for various contexts, although it should be used judiciously to avoid sounding insincere. Predominantly found in News & Media and Wiki sources, the phrase serves to build trust and convey transparency. While alternatives like "totally sincere" or "entirely truthful" exist, "completely honest" remains a straightforward and effective way to underscore one's commitment to truth.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in complete honesty

Uses a prepositional phrase to convey the same meaning, slightly altering the grammatical structure.

totally sincere

Replaces "honest" with "sincere" and "completely" with "totally", emphasizing genuineness.

entirely truthful

Substitutes "honest" with "truthful" and "completely" with "entirely", focusing on adherence to truth.

absolutely candid

Uses "candid" instead of "honest" and "absolutely" for "completely", highlighting openness and frankness.

genuinely forthright

Replaces "honest" with "forthright" and "completely" with "genuinely", suggesting directness and sincerity.

perfectly frank

Employs "frank" instead of "honest" and "perfectly" for "completely", indicating straightforwardness.

unreservedly truthful

Replaces "completely" with "unreservedly", emphasizing that there are no hidden reservations in the statement.

without reservation

This phrase is more emphatic and implies a lack of hesitation or doubt in one's honesty.

in all sincerity

Shifts the focus to the speaker's genuine intent, rather than just the factual accuracy of the statement.

with utmost sincerity

This phrase emphasizes a high degree of earnestness and genuine intention behind the statement.

FAQs

How can I use "completely honest" in a sentence?

You can use "completely honest" to emphasize your sincerity, such as "I'm being "completely honest" when I say I didn't know about that" or "To be "completely honest", I wasn't ready for the responsibility".

What are some alternatives to "completely honest"?

Alternatives include "totally sincere", "entirely truthful", or "absolutely candid". The best choice depends on the specific context and the nuance you want to convey.

Is it redundant to say "completely honest"?

While "honest" already implies truthfulness, "completely honest" adds emphasis. Whether it's redundant depends on the context and the desired level of emphasis. Sometimes the added emphasis is useful, but excessive use can sound unnatural.

What is the difference between "completely honest" and "partially honest"?

"Completely honest" means telling the entire truth without holding anything back. "Partially honest" implies that some information is being withheld or that the statement is not entirely truthful. Therefore, being only "partially honest" is not actually being "honest".