Honest to goodness Meaning in English
expression
AHN-uhst tuh GUD-ness
ON-ist tuh GUD-nuhs
Definition
Used to emphasize that something is real, genuine, or sincere, not fake or exaggerated.
Usage & Nuances
Informal and slightly old-fashioned. Often used for emphasis before a noun: 'an honest to goodness meal'. Can also show surprise or admiration. Similar to 'real' or 'genuine', but with a warm, sincere tone.
Spanish: de verdad - genuino - auténticoPortuguese (BR): de verdade - genuíno - autênticoPortuguese (PT): de verdade - genuíno - autênticoChinese (Simplified): 货真价实 - 十足的 - 真的Chinese (Traditional): 貨真價實 - 十足的 - 真的Hindi: सच्चा - असली - वास्तविकArabic: حقيقي - أصلي - صادقBengali: আসল - খাঁটি - প্রকৃতRussian: настоящий - подлинный - искреннийJapanese: 本物の - 純粋なVietnamese: thật sự - chính cống - đích thựcKorean: 진짜 - 순수한 - 참된Turkish: gerçek - hakiki - samimiUrdu: اصلی - خالص - حقیقیIndonesian: asli - sungguhan - tulen
Example Sentences
This is honest to goodness chocolate, not imitation.
basic
She made an honest to goodness apple pie.
basic
He is an honest to goodness friend.
basic
After all those instant meals, it felt great to have an honest to goodness dinner.
natural
Believe me, this is the honest to goodness truth.
natural
I hadn't had a cup of honest to goodness coffee in weeks!
natural