Phrase guide

truth be told

intj · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

intj

Meaning 1

Used when admitting something one might otherwise lie about, e.g. to keep up appearances or be polite.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • I'm not sure if I can do this, truth be told.
  • Actually, truth be told, I just don't like you.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: admittedly, frankly, to be honest, to tell the truth, truth to tell

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Ellipsis of if the truth should be told.

Across languages

Translations

28 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Czech: popravdě řečeno — when admitting something one might otherwise lie about
  • Dutch: eerlijk gezegd — when admitting something one might otherwise lie about
  • Finnish: totta puhuen — when admitting something one might otherwise lie about
  • Finnish: toden sanoakseni — when admitting something one might otherwise lie about
  • Finnish: totta puhuakseni — when admitting something one might otherwise lie about
  • Finnish: rehellisesti sanottuna — when admitting something one might otherwise lie about
  • French: pour être honnête — when admitting something one might otherwise lie about
  • German: ehrlich gesagt — when admitting something one might otherwise lie about
  • German: in Wahrheit — when admitting something one might otherwise lie about
  • German: um ehrlich zu sein — when admitting something one might otherwise lie about
  • Hungarian: az igazat megvallva — when admitting something one might otherwise lie about
  • Italian: a dire il vero — when admitting something one might otherwise lie about
  • Italian: a onor del vero — when admitting something one might otherwise lie about
  • Odia: ସତ କହିବାକୁ ଗଲେ (sata kahibāku gale) — when admitting something one might otherwise lie about
  • Polish: prawdę mówiąc — when admitting something one might otherwise lie about
  • Portuguese: verdade seja dita — when admitting something one might otherwise lie about
  • Portuguese: para falar a verdade — when admitting something one might otherwise lie about
  • Portuguese: para ser sincero — when admitting something one might otherwise lie about
  • Romanian: adevărul fie spus — when admitting something one might otherwise lie about
  • Russian: е́сли че́стно (jésli čéstno) — when admitting something one might otherwise lie about
  • Russian: что греха́ таи́ть (što grexá taítʹ) — when admitting something one might otherwise lie about
  • Slovak: pravdu povediac — when admitting something one might otherwise lie about
  • Spanish: la verdad sea dicha — when admitting something one might otherwise lie about
  • Spanish: a decir verdad — when admitting something one might otherwise lie about
  • Spanish: en puridad — when admitting something one might otherwise lie about
  • Swedish: om sanningen ska fram — when admitting something one might otherwise lie about
  • Turkish: doğrusunu söylemek gerekirse — when admitting something one might otherwise lie about
  • Ukrainian: пра́вду ка́жучи (právdu kážučy) — when admitting something one might otherwise lie about