tell the truth
Speak without lying
Tell the truth means to speak honestly rather than deceive.
It often appears as a command or moral instruction: Tell the truth—did you take it?
The phrase to tell the truth or truth be told introduces a confession or candid admission: To tell the truth, I never liked him much.
Confess or grant entry
- confessAcknowledge wrongdoing openly
- come cleanAdmit the full truth
- own upAcknowledge one's wrongdoing
- fess upAdmit wrongdoing informally
disclose · reveal · divulge · unburden · acknowledge · spill · expose · incriminate
Unguarded truthfulness
- franknessDirect, unguarded honesty
- sincerityHonest, unfeigned genuineness
- veracityConformity to fact
- directnessQuality of being straightforward
bluntness · forthrightness · openness · transparency · plainspoken · straight talk · no sugarcoating · lay it on the line
Having strong moral beliefs
- ethicalConforming to moral principles
- honorableHaving high moral standards
- trustworthyWorthy of confidence
- authenticVerified as original
genuine · virtuous · upright · conscientious · incorruptible · moral courage · true to one's word · walk the talk
Act of revealing information
- unveilingAct of first revealing
- exposureState of being unprotected
- uncoveringRevealing something hidden
- unmaskingRevealing what's hidden
bring to light · lay bare · make known · out in the open · clear the air · set the record straight · shed light on · nothing to hide
admit
Confess or grant entry
- confessAcknowledge wrongdoing openly
- come cleanAdmit the full truth
- own upAcknowledge one's wrongdoing
fess up · disclose · reveal · divulge · unburden · acknowledge · spill · expose · incriminate · testify
candor
Unguarded truthfulness
directness · bluntness · forthrightness · openness · transparency · plainspoken · straight talk · no sugarcoating · lay it on the line · level with
principled
Having strong moral beliefs
- ethicalConforming to moral principles
- honorableHaving high moral standards
- trustworthyWorthy of confidence
authentic · genuine · virtuous · upright · conscientious · incorruptible · moral courage · true to one's word · walk the talk · honest broker
disclosure
Act of revealing information
- unveilingAct of first revealing
- exposureState of being unprotected
- uncoveringRevealing something hidden
unmasking · bring to light · lay bare · make known · out in the open · clear the air · set the record straight · shed light on · nothing to hide · full transparency
- disclosurerevealing, disclosing, disclosure, disclose, divulge
- momismsI told you so, no means no, back in my day, clean your room, do your homework
tell the truthlie
Deliberate falsehood
tell a lie · deceive · prevaricate · fabricate · bear false witness
tell, truth, telling, truthful, tells, truths, truthfulness, untruthful, truthfully