Definition

Adjective: - Genuine, real, authentic: Used informally, often for emphasis, to stress that something is true, actual, and not an imitation or exaggeration. It describes something that is unquestionably legitimate.

Usage

The term "honest-to-goodness" is an emphatic adjective, typically used in informal speech and writing to add strong emphasis. It confirms the authenticity or truthfulness of the noun it modifies. It is often hyphenated.

Examples

• Adjective:
  • She baked an honest-to-goodness cherry pie from scratch. (She baked a genuine, real cherry pie.)
  • After years of searching, he finally found an honest-to-goodness treasure map. (He found a real, authentic treasure map.)
  • That's not a replica; it's an honest-to-goodness antique. (It is a genuine antique.)

Advanced Usage

• "honest-to-goodness" as an adverbial phrase: While primarily an adjective, it can sometimes function informally to modify an adjective or a verb for emphasis.
  • I was honest-to-goodness surprised by the news. (I was genuinely, truly surprised.)

Variants and Related Words

• Honest-to-God (adj): A variant with identical meaning and usage.
  • He's an honest-to-God war hero.
• Sure-enough (adj): Another informal synonym meaning genuine or real.
  • We saw a sure-enough black bear in the woods.
• Bona fide (adj): A more formal synonym meaning authentic or genuine.

Synonyms

• Real
• Genuine
• Authentic
• True
• Actual

Related Phrases

• The real McCoy: An idiom meaning the genuine article, not a fake.
  • This signed baseball is the real McCoy.
• For real: An informal phrase used for emphasis to ask or state if something is genuine.
  • Are you moving to Paris for real?

Adjective

1. (used informally especially for emphasis)
   • a real honest-to-god live cowboy
   • had us a high old time
   • went upriver to look at a sure-enough fish wheel