Good-faith

adj.thoughtful, kindprofessional

What it means

Done with honest intent and without a plan to deceive or exploit.

Reach for it when describing sincere participation while avoiding a claim that the action was correct

Both groups made a good-faith effort to verify the disputed boundary.

playful
aboveboard
open, honest dealing suits an informal business voice
not when Aboveboard concerns transparency and sounds casual in legal analysis.
everyday
honest
truthfulness and lack of deception are the central qualities
not when Honest also describes statements, while good-faith identifies the purpose behind an act.
warm
earnest
serious effort and conviction are visible
not when Earnest people can still act strategically or on mistaken beliefs.
warm
sincere
genuine intent matters more than procedure
not when Sincerity cannot establish that a claim or decision is accurate.
warm
well-intentioned
benevolent motive deserves acknowledgment despite a poor result
not when Good intentions alone do not rule out negligence or unfair advantage.
professional
genuine
the action is real and not merely performed for appearance
not when Genuine says little about fairness or lawful purpose.
formal
bona fide
authentic status or legal genuineness needs a recognized term
not when Bona fide can mean genuine rather than honestly attempted.

good-faith effort
A good-faith effort included sharing the records that weakened their case.
good-faith negotiation
Good-faith negotiation requires more than attending the meeting.
good-faith belief
The court examined whether the good-faith belief was reasonable.

Good faith has context-specific legal meanings. Honest intent does not establish legality, accuracy, fairness, or reasonable care.

The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.