Probity
n.thoughtful, kindformal
What it means
Uncompromising honesty joined with strong moral integrity.
Reach for it when praising trustworthy conduct in public, professional, or financial responsibility
Her probity was evident in the clear record of every donation and expense.
Choose between these
6- everyday
if truthfulness and freedom from deception are the essential qualities
not when Honesty alone does not cover the full ethical uprightness of probity.
- warm
if others can safely rely on the person's words and actions
not when Trustworthiness describes the resulting confidence, not specifically moral honesty.
- professional
when consistent moral principles guide conduct across situations
not when Integrity also names wholeness or structural soundness outside ethics.
- formal
when refusal of bribery or improper influence is central
not when Incorruptibility is an absolute claim and narrower than general probity.
- formal
for morally correct behavior sustained by principle
not when Uprightness sounds traditional and may imply personal virtue more than accountable practice.
- literary
when strict adherence to moral standards deserves elevated wording
not when Rectitude can sound rigid, self-righteous, or archaic.
Said against
3- dishonesty
- corruption
- deceit
It naturally appears in
3- financial probity
Independent audits confirmed the charity's financial probity.
- public probity
Strong disclosure rules protect public probity when contracts are awarded.
- person of probity
The board sought a person of probity to oversee the disputed fund.
Where this comes from
- wiktionary, English noun sense: integrity and uprightness opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.