Words / C1

in-TEGR-uh-tee/ɪnˈteɡrəti/

Integrity is honesty and moral consistency you can trust — doing the right thing when it costs you. Native writers also use it in a technical sense: the integrity of the data (wholeness, not corrupted). Honesty is the everyday moral word; integrity adds coherence between values and actions. Integral (essential) is a different word.

Meaning

The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles.

Examples

• “She is respected for her integrity.”
• “She kept her integrity and declined the gift.”
• “Backups protect the integrity of the archive.”

Good to know

1) moral consistency. 2) wholeness of data/systems. Not integral (essential).

Near in meaning

honesty

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