truth be told

English

Alternative forms

• if truth be told

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU):

  (file)

Interjection

truth be told

1. (idiomatic) Used when admitting something one might otherwise lie about, e.g. to keep up appearances or be polite. From "if the truth should be told".

   I'm not sure if I can do this, truth be told.

   Actually, truth be told, I just don't like you.

   • 2006, V For Vendetta (movie adaptation)

     Well, certainly there are those who are more responsible than others - and they will be held accountable - but again, truth be told, if you're looking for the guilty, you need only look into a mirror.

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

Translations

when admitting something one might otherwise lie about

• Czech: popravdě řečeno
• Dutch: eerlijk gezegd
• German: ehrlich gesagt (de), in Wahrheit, um ehrlich zu sein
• Hungarian: az igazat megvallva
• Oriya: ସତ କହିବାକୁ ଗଲେ (sata kahibaku gale)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Portuguese: verdade seja dita, para falar a verdade, para ser sincero m
• Russian: е́сли че́стно (jésli čéstno)
• Slovak: pravdu povediac
• Spanish: la verdad sea dicha, a decir verdad, en puridad

Further reading

• “truth be told”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.