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honest-to-goodness

[ on-ist-tuh-goo d-nis ]

/ ˈɒn ɪst təˈgʊd nɪs /

adjective

real or genuine.

adverb

really, truly, or genuinely.

Also hon·est-to-God

[on-ist-tuh-god] /ˈɒn ɪst təˈgɒd/.

Origin of honest-to-goodness

First recorded in 1915–20

Words nearby honest-to-goodness

honest, honest broker, honest injun, honest john, honest to god, honest-to-goodness, honestly, honesty, honesty box, honesty is the best policy, honewort

Example sentences from the Web for honest-to-god

Well, they had a free ride for a good long while before there was an honest-to-God response.

Hillary’s Outside Enforcers Are Led by a Former Foe |David Freedlander |July 10, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Caleb makes clear that those plaguing him are honest-to-god metaphysical beings and not traumatic figments.

Possessed by PTSD, A Veteran Uses Exorcisms to Cast Out His Demons |Brian Van Reet |February 2, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
I want you to tell me the truth—the honest-to-God, cross-your-heart truth, Lem—about that money.

In Pawn |Ellis Parker Butler
Candron wished he were an honest-to-God telepath, so he could be absolutely sure.

What The Left Hand Was Doing |Gordon Randall Garrett

It was almost as good as though I'd gone back to the days of honest-to-God hold-ups an' rustlin's.

The Trail of Conflict |Emilie Baker Loring
She's meant to be an honest-to-God woman—the kind that keeps men clean—she's meant for the big-time stuff.

The Garden of Eden |Max Brand
Nothing but an honest-to-God, genuine, Joshua-stopping-the-sun type of miracle could have saved the opposition.

Hail to the Chief |Gordon Randall Garrett