truth-tellers
Those who confess
Truth-tellers are people who speak honestly, especially when honesty is difficult or unwelcome.
The term often carries heroic connotations—whistleblowers, prophets, children who announce the emperor has no clothes: We need more truth-tellers in government.
Sometimes used self-approvingly by those who consider their bluntness a virtue others fail to appreciate.
Truthfulness, sincerity
- integrityMoral soundness and consistency
- candorUnguarded truthfulness
- sincerityHonest, unfeigned genuineness
- authenticityQuality of being genuine
forthright · trustworthy · upright · principled · conscience · virtue · character · honor
Freedom from wrongdoing
- naiveteInnocent lack of experience
- unfilteredNot passed through screen
- blurtingImpulsive verbal outburst
- embarrassingCausing awkward self-consciousness
guileless · artless · uncensored · spontaneous · honesty · observation · perceptive · tactless
One who tells events
- reliableConsistently performing as expected
- unreliableNot consistently performing
- witnessOne who attests
- chroniclerWriter of historical accounts
scribe · historian · documenter · recorder · voice · perspective · account · testimony
Insider who reports misconduct
- leakerOne who discloses secrets
- informantOne who provides intelligence
- exposerOne who uncovers hidden things
- insiderOne with confidential access
Snowden · Deep Throat · disclosure · classified · retaliation · protection · anonymous · courage
Divinely inspired messenger
- seerOne who envisions futures
- oracleAuthoritative wisdom source
- cassandraDisbelieved predictor of misfortune
- visionaryImaginative planner of futures
sage · messenger · revelation · scripture · divine · calling · wilderness · persecution
Public complaints investigator
- inspectorOfficial quality checker
- auditorFinancial records examiner
- investigatorOne who examines evidence
- watchdogGuard or monitor
oversight · accountability · ethics officer · compliance · regulator · monitor · reviewer · examiner
honesty
Truthfulness, sincerity
- integrityMoral soundness and consistency
- candorUnguarded truthfulness
- sincerityHonest, unfeigned genuineness
authenticity · forthright · trustworthy · upright · principled · conscience · virtue · character · honor · reliability
innocence
Freedom from wrongdoing
- naiveteInnocent lack of experience
- unfilteredNot passed through screen
- blurtingImpulsive verbal outburst
embarrassing · guileless · artless · uncensored · spontaneous · honesty · observation · perceptive · tactless · innocent
narrator
One who tells events
- reliableConsistently performing as expected
- unreliableNot consistently performing
- witnessOne who attests
chronicler · scribe · historian · documenter · recorder · voice · perspective · account · testimony · memoir
whistleblower
Insider who reports misconduct
- leakerOne who discloses secrets
- informantOne who provides intelligence
- exposerOne who uncovers hidden things
insider · Snowden · Deep Throat · disclosure · classified · retaliation · protection · anonymous · courage · sacrifice
prophet
Divinely inspired messenger
- seerOne who envisions futures
- oracleAuthoritative wisdom source
- cassandraDisbelieved predictor of misfortune
visionary · sage · messenger · revelation · scripture · divine · calling · wilderness · persecution · martyr
ombudsman
Public complaints investigator
- inspectorOfficial quality checker
- auditorFinancial records examiner
- investigatorOne who examines evidence
watchdog · oversight · accountability · ethics officer · compliance · regulator · monitor · reviewer · examiner · independent
- moral exemplarsGandhi, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, saints
truth-tellersliars
Tellers of falsehoods
deceivers · falsifiers · fabricators · prevaricators · dissemblers
truth-tellerscon artists
People who cheat others
frauds · charlatans · gaslighters · misleaders · propagandists
truth-tellersobfuscators
Those who obscure meaning
propagandists · gossips · conspiracy theorists · deniers · apologists
truth, teller, truths, tellers, true, truly, untrue, untruth, untruths