bona fide
adjective
ˈbä-
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Bona fide means "in good faith" in Latin. When applied to business deals and the like, it stresses the absence of fraud or deception. A bona fide sale of securities is an entirely aboveboard transaction. Outside of business and law, bona fide implies mere sincerity and earnestness. A bona fide promise is one that the person has every intention of keeping. A bona fide proposal of marriage is one made by a suitor who isn't kidding around. Bona fide also has the noun form bona fides; when someone asks about someone else's bona fides, it usually means evidence of their qualifications or achievements.
Examples of bona fide in a Sentence
Emily Wilson, Bon Appetit Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Industry analysts note that if The View were deemed ineligible for the bona fide news exemption, ABC could be legally compelled to offer equal on-air time to Trump's political opponents.
—James Bickerton, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025
At issue is whether The View, which is produced by ABC News, qualifies as a bona fide news program and is thus exempt from certain FCC rules, including the equal opportunity or equal time rule.
—Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2025
But some are hardier than others, particularly when they’re built for bona fide outdoor adventure.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bona fide
Cite this Entry
“Bona fide.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bona%20fide. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bona fide
adjective
ˈbä-nə-
Legal Definition
bona fide
adjective
Latin, in good faith
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