good faith

1. uncountableGood, honest intentions.First known use between 1890 and 1895

   He made a mistake, but acted in good faith.

   3 more examples

   Although this behavior may look suspicious, we should assume good faith.

   "This is further proof that ASLEF is willing to negotiate in good faith and modernise our railway. And further proof that the failure of negotiations with the TOCs in England is the responsibility of Transport Secretary Mark Harper, the Department for Transport, and the Rail Delivery Group. That has been laid bare for all to see."

   2023 May 31, Mel Holley, “Network News: ASLEF recommends £71,000 pay deal for TfW drivers”, in RAIL, number 984, page 20

   “Sam didn’t defraud anyone. Sam didn’t intend to defraud anyone. Sam acted in good faith,” the defense lawyer Mark Cohen said. “There was no theft.”

   2023 October 5, Victoria Bekiempis, “FTX co-founder testifies he committed crimes with Sam Bankman-Fried”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

   Antonyms: bad faith

comparative more good faith · superlative most good faith

1. Having or done with good, honest intentions; well-intentioned.

   A good faith buyer.

   2 more examples

   A good faith attempt.

   A day later, after years of arguing that Fox News was hardly fair and balanced, they could read a judge’s finding that Fox had not conducted “good-faith, disinterested reporting” on Dominion.

   2023 April 1, Jonathan Weisman, “Trump and Fox News, Twin Titans of Politics, Hit With Back-to-Back Rebukes”, in The New York Times, →ISSN

2. Presuming that all parties to a discussion are honest and intend to act in a fair and appropriate manner.

   Good faith bargaining.

   1 more example

   The California Workers Compensation Appeals Board, in awarding the benefits, overturned a 1978 ruling which held that a gay lover could not qualify as a "good faith" dependent.

   1983 December 31, Christine Guilfoy, “Gay Man in California Granted Survivor Benefits”, in Gay Community News, volume 11, number 24, page 1