aboveboard

1 of 2

adverb

above·​board ə-ˈbəv-ˌbȯrd How to pronounce aboveboard (audio)
: in a straightforward manner : openly

aboveboard

2 of 2

adjective

: free from all traces of deceit or duplicity

Examples of aboveboard in a Sentence

Adjective The committee tried to be fair and aboveboard in its hiring. an aboveboard and responsible proposal She acted in a completely open and aboveboard way.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adverb
But now that going legal is an option, legacy businesses like Buddy’s are being watched over by officials who hope to see the entire industry move aboveboard. New York Times, 11 May 2022 Live bands already perform at Catonsville establishments, and the bill will bring current practices aboveboard. Taylor Deville, baltimoresun.com, 8 Oct. 2019 Nearly a century later, Morris’s great-nephew Kevin is also in the beverage business—but aboveboard, as the owner of Loma Brewing Company in Northern California. Paul Daugherty, Cincinnati.com, 2 July 2019
Adjective
There was a lot of suspicion about whether the DNA testing that had been done was really aboveboard and accurate. Ashley Luthern, Journal Sentinel, 3 May 2023 That panel acted as a seal of approval from the profession as a whole, a sign that the competition would be rigorous and aboveboard. Curbed, 17 Mar. 2022 Even the most successful artists who appear in Rap Capital know the push and pull of desiring aboveboard success and gravitating toward dangerous opportunities. Jack Hamilton, The Atlantic, 18 Oct. 2022 Far from being eradicated, the black market is booming in plain sight, luring customers away from aboveboard retailers with their cheaper — if untested and unregulated — product. Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 13 Sep. 2022 Nevertheless, questions remain about how public officials and regulators will ensure everyone from the company’s top investors to the subcontractor who paves the parking lot is aboveboard. Dan Petrella, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2022 Few of the family’s other aboveboard ventures have worked out. New York Times, 24 Dec. 2021 Spur someone to constructive action by being direct and aboveboard. Tribune Content Agency, oregonlive, 18 Aug. 2021 Surely, everything happening behind the scenes in the act of crafting self-driving cars is completely aboveboard and hunky-dory. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 23 June 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'aboveboard.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

above entry 2 + board entry 1; from the difficulty of cheating at cards when the hands are above the table

First Known Use

Adverb

1594, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1615, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of aboveboard was in 1594

Dictionary Entries Near aboveboard

Cite this Entry

“Aboveboard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aboveboard. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

aboveboard

adverb or adjective
above·​board
ə-ˈbəv-ˌbōrd,
-ˌbȯrd
: without concealment or deceit

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