Honesty is when you speak the truth and act truthfully.

What is honesty? Many children understand a definition of honesty to be "don't lie". But a complete definition of honesty also means that an honest person doesn't do things that are morally wrong. If something you do is breaking the law or you have to hide it because you'll get in trouble, you are probably not being honest.

What is honesty? – Honesty is in what you say

Honesty is speaking the truth. Lying is not honest (also called dishonest) because you are saying something that isn't true. 

Examples of this form of honesty include: 

• Honesty means you don't say things about people that aren't true. You are not being honest if you make up rumors about someone.
• Being honest means you admit to your actions, even if you'll get in trouble. You are not being honest if deny you did something wrong when you really did it.
• Honesty means you explain how a situation really happened. You are not being honest if you say something happened one way when it really happened another way.

What is honesty? Honesty is in how you act

When you do something you know is morally wrong, or when you have to hide your actions because you know they are wrong, you are not being honest. Being honest means you act in a way that you know is the right thing to do. 

This part of the definition of honesty includes not hiding the truth (deceiving), not breaking rules to gain an advantage (cheating), and not taking something that isn't yours (stealing) and any other action that you would hide because it is against what you consider morally right. 

What is being honest with yourself?

A big part of honesty is what you say and how you act toward others. But another part of the definition of honesty is whether you treat yourself the same way. Being honest with yourself means you really know why you are acting in a certain way or whether what you tell yourself is true. 

This part of the definition of honesty includes: 

• You are not being honest with yourself if you are trying to convince yourself you didn't really do something wrong, or it wasn't that bad, even though you really did it__