good faith

noun

Synonyms of good faithnext
: honesty or lawfulness of purpose

Examples of good faith in a Sentence

You have no right to question my good faith.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
McCormick rejected that approach, finding that the pending Pennsylvania proceedings would not undo actions Barrow had taken in good faith or change the trust’s entitlement to distributions. — Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 29 Oct. 2026 These actions against my good faith cybersecurity research covering national security should be considered a betrayal to our nation and sovereignty. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 28 Oct. 2026 Moreover, the school system has been in regular contact with the Department of Justice in a good faith effort to resolve their concerns while adhering to our obligations to all students, parents and staff. — Cbs Baltimore, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026 Having opened her home in the middle of the night, Vaughn once again strikes Kate (and me) as the very picture of decency and good faith. — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for good faith

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of good faith was in the 14th century

Rhymes for good faith

See All Rhymes for good faith

Browse Nearby Words

good eye
good faith
good father
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Good faith.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/good%20faith. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

good faith

noun
: honesty or lawfulness of purpose
bargained in good faith

Legal Definition

good faith

noun
: honesty, fairness, and lawfulness of purpose : absence of any intent to defraud, act maliciously, or take unfair advantage
filed the suit in good faith
negotiating in good faith
see also good faith exception, good faith purchaser compare bad faith

Note: The meaning of good faith, though always based on honesty, may vary depending on the specific context in which it is used. A person is said to buy in good faith when he or she holds an honest belief in his or her right or title to the property and has no knowledge or reason to know of any defect in the title. In section 1-201 of the Uniform Commercial Code good faith is defined generally as “honesty in fact and the observance of reasonable commercial standards of fair dealing.” Where recent U.C.C. amendments have not been adopted, this definition is found in Article 3 on negotiable instruments (and applies to Article 4 on bank deposits and collections and Article 4A on funds transfers), while Article 2 on sales defines it as “honesty in fact and the observance of reasonable commercial standards of dealing in the trade.” Article 5 (letters of credit), as amended, defines it as “honesty in fact in the conduct or transaction concerned.” The U.C.C. imposes an obligation of good faith on the performance of every contract or duty under its purview. The law also generally requires good faith of fiduciaries and agents acting on behalf of their principals. There is also a requirement under the National Labor Relations Act that employers and unions bargain in good faith.

Etymology

translation of Latin bona fides

More from Merriam-Webster on good faith

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for good faith

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about good faith

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of Pyrrhic

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

The Words of the Week - Oct. 30

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
couple-laugh-cafe
Quiz: Foreign Phrases You Should Know Check out your bona fides and avoid any faux pas.
See All