--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Honesty means nothing until you are…" description: "\"Honesty means nothing until you are tested under circumstances where you are sure you could get away with dishonesty.\" — Dorothy Parker" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/dorothy-parker-700_circumstances_honesty-means-nothing-until-you-are-test_407240.jpg" --- # Honesty means nothing until you are tested under… ![“Honesty means nothing until you are tested under circumstances where you are sure you could get away with dishonesty.” quote by Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/dorothy-parker-700_circumstances_honesty-means-nothing-until-you-are-test_407240.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/dorothy-parker-700_circumstances_honesty-means-nothing-until-you-are-test_407240.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/dorothy-parker-700_circumstances_honesty-means-nothing-until-you-are-test_407240.jpg) > “Honesty means nothing until you are tested under circumstances where you are sure you could get away with dishonesty.” [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Honesty is only valuable when proven under pressure where cheating is possible. **In simple terms:** Honesty matters only when tested. Key Takeaway Act honestly even when you could cheat. Themes integrity truth ethical behavior Mood reflective serious Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - workplace dilemmas - personal relationships - financial decisions Key Concepts moral testing personal integrity Questions to Reflect On - How would you act if you knew you could get away with lying? - What does honesty mean to you in everyday life? A Different Perspective Even when untested, honesty shapes character. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dishonesty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dishonesty/) [Honesty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honesty/) ## Related quotes > [“Honesty means nothing to a dishonest person, but honesty to a honest person gains respect.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-childress/honesty-means-nothing-to-a-dishonest-person-but-honesty-to-a-honest/) Charlie Childress > [“Teach honesty by all means - you do know what it is, don't you?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/teach-honesty-by-all-means-you-do-know-what-it-is-don-t-you/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [Honesty does not mean simply speaking your mind. Honesty means to be very clear about everything going on inside you. Where there is honesty,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/honesty-does-not-mean-simply-speaking-your-mind-honesty-means-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I do not play games, but always just say what's on my mind. Ostentatious modesty - for fools. If a man afraid of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mila-kunis/i-do-not-play-games-but-always-just-say-what-s-on-my-mind/) [Mila Kunis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mila-kunis/) > [“Honesty means willfully exchanging my precious agendas for the very truth that those agendas were designed to destroy. And sadly, few of us choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/honesty-means-willfully-exchanging-my-precious-agendas-for-the-very/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [“Honesty is a moral virtue, a matter of the will. Honesty means willing the truth with the whole of your heart. This demands sacrifice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/honesty-is-a-moral-virtue-a-matter-of-the-will-honesty-means-willing/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [Some people don't like telling the truth... And some people can't handle hearing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-people-don-t-like-telling-the-truth-and-some-people-can-t-handle/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is never just disagreement but always intellectual dishonesty that is the apologist's worst enemy. And its apprentice is ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/it-is-never-just-disagreement-but-always-intellectual-dishonesty-that/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [Excuses are the best friend of a lie, and leaving information out are its brother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-skinner/excuses-are-the-best-friend-of-a-lie-and-leaving-information-out-are/) Jamie Skinner > [Don't be afraid of enemies who attack you. Be afraid of the friends who flatter you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/don-t-be-afraid-of-enemies-who-attack-you-be-afraid-of-the-friends/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [“If you wear a mask for too long, there will come a time when you can not remove it without removing your face.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/if-you-wear-a-mask-for-too-long-there-will-come-a-time-when-you-can/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [Cheating is like eating fast food. You do it, you enjoy it, and then you end up feeling like shit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/cheating-is-like-eating-fast-food-you-do-it-you-enjoy-it-and-then-you/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Telling me lies is easier for you than to tell me the truth? Well me not trusting you is easier than getting hurt by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/telling-me-lies-is-easier-for-you-than-to-tell-me-the-truth-well-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Dishonesty in a woman is a thing you never blame deeply—I was casually sorry, and then I forgot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/dishonesty-in-a-woman-is-a-thing-you-never-blame-deeply-i-was/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [The greatest gift you can give to those around you is honesty. Sometimes honest words may sting the heart, but dishonesty pierces deep into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/the-greatest-gift-you-can-give-to-those-around-you-is-honesty/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) ## More by Dorothy Parker > [There's little in taking or giving, There's little in water or wine: This living, this living, this living, Was never a project of mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/there-s-little-in-taking-or-giving-there-s-little-in-water-or-wine/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Writing is the art of applying the ass to the seat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/writing-is-the-art-of-applying-the-ass-to-the-seat/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Hollywood is the one place on earth where you could die of encouragement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/hollywood-is-the-one-place-on-earth-where-you-could-die-of/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [“The two most beautiful words in the English language are 'check enclosed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/the-two-most-beautiful-words-in-the-english-language-are-check/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Sometimes I think Ill give up trying, and just go completely Russian and sit on a stove and moan all day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/sometimes-i-think-ill-give-up-trying-and-just-go-completely-russian/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [I was always sweet, at first. Oh, it's so easy to be sweet to people before you love them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/i-was-always-sweet-at-first-oh-it-s-so-easy-to-be-sweet-to-people/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Now to me, Edith looks like something that would eat her young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/now-to-me-edith-looks-like-something-that-would-eat-her-young/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Misfortune, and recited misfortune especially, can be prolonged to the point where it ceases to excite pity and arouses only irritation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/misfortune-and-recited-misfortune-especially-can-be-prolonged-to-the/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [The sun's gone dim, and the moon's gone black. For I loved him, and he didn't love back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/the-sun-s-gone-dim-and-the-moon-s-gone-black-for-i-loved-him-and-he/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [There's a hell of a distance between wisecracking and wit. Wit has truth in it; wisecracking is simply calisthenics with words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/there-s-a-hell-of-a-distance-between-wisecracking-and-wit-wit-has/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Oh, life is a glorious cycle of song, A medley of extemporanea; And love is a thing that can never go wrong; And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/oh-life-is-a-glorious-cycle-of-song-a-medley-of-extemporanea-and-love/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Enjoyed it! One more drink and I'd have been under the host.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/enjoyed-it-one-more-drink-and-i-d-have-been-under-the-host/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [This living, this living, this living Was never a project of mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/this-living-this-living-this-living-was-never-a-project-of-mine/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Flowers are heaven's masterpiece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/flowers-are-heaven-s-masterpiece/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [It costs me never a stab nor squirm / To tread by chance upon a worm. / Aha, my little dear, / I say,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/it-costs-me-never-a-stab-nor-squirm-to-tread-by-chance-upon-a-worm/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) [Explore all 398 Dorothy Parker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) ## More Circumstances quotes > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [Jobs and money are never the primary cause of stress. Thinking, negative thinking causes stress. The real cause of all problems lie in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/jobs-and-money-are-never-the-primary-cause-of-stress-thinking/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Although under particular circumstances, the violence method - any method - can be justified, nevertheless once you commit violence, then counterviolence will be returned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/although-under-particular-circumstances-the-violence-method-any/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Trust is about keeping commitments, but in many instances, circumstances change and organizations therefore shed commitments, things such as retiree medical benefits, pension obligations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/trust-is-about-keeping-commitments-but-in-many-instances/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [The fortunate circumstances of our lives are generally found, at last, to be of our own producing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/the-fortunate-circumstances-of-our-lives-are-generally-found-at-last/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [“The set of circumstances that justifies the use of deadly force is a situation of immediate danger of death or great bodily harm to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/massad-ayoob/the-set-of-circumstances-that-justifies-the-use-of-deadly-force-is-a/) [Massad Ayoob](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/massad-ayoob/) > [My sister-in-law works for a group that supports orphanages in Cairo. She and her colleagues take care of children left behind by circumstances beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/my-sister-in-law-works-for-a-group-that-supports-orphanages-in-cairo/) [Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/) > [It's impossible to know who Donald might have been under different circumstances and with different parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-l-trump/it-s-impossible-to-know-who-donald-might-have-been-under-different/) [Mary L. Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-l-trump/) > [When we watch a play under the standard circumstances, we've lost volition and time is passing. A still play feels like an existential threat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-greenberg/when-we-watch-a-play-under-the-standard-circumstances-we-ve-lost/) [Richard Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-greenberg/) > [Being positive helps you to keep away negative thoughts. And helps you to stand in adverse circumstances with the hope that in the end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/being-positive-helps-you-to-keep-away-negative-thoughts-and-helps-you/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [It seemed to me that the human beings I met reacted pretty much the same to the same stimuli. Different idioms,yes. Circumstances and conditions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/it-seemed-to-me-that-the-human-beings-i-met-reacted-pretty-much-the/) [Zora Neale Hurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/) > [I don't think you would have missed that putt, but in these circumstances, I would never give you the opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicklaus/i-don-t-think-you-would-have-missed-that-putt-but-in-these/) [Jack Nicklaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicklaus/) > [I used to think I could shape the circumstances around me, but now I know Jesus uses circumstances to shape me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/i-used-to-think-i-could-shape-the-circumstances-around-me-but-now-i/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [Instead of complaining about your circumstances, get busy creating new ones. You either suffer the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/instead-of-complaining-about-your-circumstances-get-busy-creating-new/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) Browse all 4,560 Circumstances quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Honesty means nothing until you are tested under circumstances where you are sure you could get away with dishonesty.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dorothy Parker" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/honesty-means-nothing-until-you-are-tested-under-circumstances-where/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Circumstances" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/honesty-means-nothing-until-you-are-tested-under-circumstances-where/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/dorothy-parker-700_circumstances_honesty-means-nothing-until-you-are-test_407240.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/dorothy-parker-700_circumstances_honesty-means-nothing-until-you-are-test_407240.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/dorothy-parker-700_circumstances_honesty-means-nothing-until-you-are-test_407240.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Honesty means nothing until you are tested under circumstances where you are sure you could get away with…” — Dorothy Parker", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Dorothy Parker", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Honesty means nothing until you are...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/honesty-means-nothing-until-you-are-tested-under-circumstances-where/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/honesty-means-nothing-until-you-are-tested-under-circumstances-where/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```