bona fides
noun
bo·na fi·des
ˌbō-nə-ˈfī-ˌdēz 
nonstandard
ˈbō-nə-ˌfīdz
1
: good faith : sincerity
2
: the fact of being genuine
—often plural in construction
3
: evidence of one's good faith or genuineness
—often plural in construction
4
: evidence of one's qualifications or achievements
—often plural in construction
Did you know?
Bona fides looks like a plural word in English, but in Latin it is a singular noun that literally means "good faith." When bona fides entered English, it at first stayed very close to its Latin use, and it also kept its singular form—for example, "a claimant whose bona fides is unquestionable." But in the 20th century, use of bona fides began to widen, and it began to appear with a plural verb in certain contexts, such as "the informant's bona fides were ascertained."
Examples of bona fides in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This version of Wuthering Heights stars Margot Robbie as 18-year-old Catherine Earnshaw and sees Jacob Elordi further establishing his Gothic bona fides as the Byronic hero Heathcliff.
—
Ben Rosenstock, Time, 26 Dec. 2025
Recent decisions by Paramount’s new management have only exacerbated the situation, and Weiss’ is likely to further wear away at its journalism bona fides.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 22 Dec. 2025
Dylan O’Brien is a revelation as two different twins, showcasing his dramatic bona fides — and enough handsome charm to justify the disturbing yet hilarious obsession Sweeney’s character develops for him.
—Eric Andersson, PEOPLE, 20 Dec. 2025
Newsom, who has faced stiff criticism this year for ceding political ground on trans athletes’ rights, has a history of invoking Reagan’s legacy to reinforce his own bipartisan bona fides.
—Samantha Riedel, Them., 17 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bona fides
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Ben Rosenstock, Time, 26 Dec. 2025
Recent decisions by Paramount’s new management have only exacerbated the situation, and Weiss’ is likely to further wear away at its journalism bona fides.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 22 Dec. 2025
Dylan O’Brien is a revelation as two different twins, showcasing his dramatic bona fides — and enough handsome charm to justify the disturbing yet hilarious obsession Sweeney’s character develops for him.
—Eric Andersson, PEOPLE, 20 Dec. 2025
Newsom, who has faced stiff criticism this year for ceding political ground on trans athletes’ rights, has a history of invoking Reagan’s legacy to reinforce his own bipartisan bona fides.
—Samantha Riedel, Them., 17 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bona fides
Cite this Entry
“Bona fides.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bona%20fides. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
bona fides
noun
bo·na fi·des
ˌbō-nə-ˈfī-ˌdēz, commonly ˈbō-nə-ˌfīdz
: good faith
the fact that the plaintiff conducted an investigation demonstrated its bona fides—Jeannette Glass Co. v. Indemnity Ins. Co. of North America, 88 A.2d 407 (1952) (dissent)
Jeannette Glass Co. v. Indemnity Ins. Co. of North America, 88 A.2d 407 (1952) (dissent)Etymology
Latin
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