Honest About: Standard Pattern
Honest About: Standard Pattern records a directly documented English construction and keeps guidance bounded to the evidenced pattern rather than turning one attested complement into a universal prohibition.
Use “honest about” before the subject, facts, feelings, or situation being spoken about truthfully.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Form / construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| topic, facts, feelings, or situation discussed truthfully | honest about + topic | Use “about” before what the honesty concerns. |
| person or group receiving the truthful statement | honest with + person | Use “with” for the person/group rather than treating the two complements as interchangeable. |
Quick tests
Meaning / construction test
Does the following phrase name the subject matter that someone is truthful about?
If yes: Use “honest about.”
If no: If the following phrase names the person or group receiving the truth, “honest with” is usually the relevant pattern.
Caveat: This contrast describes common complement roles; context may contain both a person and a topic, as in “honest with us about the cost.”
Examples
Be honest about the risks.
“About” introduces the subject matter.
She was honest about how she felt.
The complement names the matter discussed truthfully.
The report is honest about its limitations.
“About” introduces the facts or issue acknowledged.
Further guidance
Construction
Use “honest about” before the subject, facts, feelings, or situation being spoken about truthfully.
Style Boundary
Cambridge separately attests “honest with” for the person or people receiving that honesty; the two patterns serve different complements.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- honest — Cambridge Learner’s Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Learner-dictionary examples directly attesting honest about and honest with constructions.