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Glite Dictionary
to be level with

to be level with

1 5.8
To be honest and direct with someone
  • phrasal verb
  • Informal
translation icon : ser sincero con
  • Before we proceed, you should be level with him about the risks involved.

Examples

  • He promised to be level with me, no matter how bad the news was.

  • I want to be level with you about my plans.

  • If you are level with your friends, they will trust you more.

  • She decided it was time to be level with her boss about her intention to resign.

  • Can you be level with me for once?

  • I need to be level with you about my feelings for her.

  • If you want to work together, you have to be level with me from the start.

Synonyms

to tell the truth
vsto be level with
814 2.7

Say what really happened without hiding facts or lying

is wider, adding openness about feelings and difficult topics
to level
vsto be level with
  • Informal
56 6.1

To speak honestly to someone about something important

is broader, focusing on general honesty rather than frank announcements
to level with
vsto be level with
40 6.2

Tell someone the truth about something difficult

has identical meaning but appears with be to describe the state
to speak openly
vsto be level with
7 3.4

Talk honestly without hiding facts or feelings

leans more toward plain truthful speech about facts alone

Antonyms

lie
∞ 2.7

A false statement told to trick someone

untruthful
6 4.8

Not honest and likely to tell lies

How Honest

blunt
100 3.8
to be level with
  • Informal
1 5.8
evasiveness
3 7.4

Surface Forms

be level with infinitive
was level with past
been level with past participle
being level with present participle
is level with third person singular

Morphology

be + level + with

The constituent words ('be' + 'level' + 'with') give a metaphorical hint—'level' evokes evenness/straightness and 'with' marks relation to another person—so a learner might infer the sense of being 'straight' or candid. However, the specific idiomatic meaning 'to be honest and straightforward' is a conventionalized metaphorical use that is not fully predictable from the parts alone, making it only partially transparent to B1 learners.

Etymology

Be level with may come from the simple image of two people standing on the same flat ground so they are the same height and can see each other clearly. So to be level with someone came to mean being 'honest' and 'open' with them.