CANDIDNESS Synonyms: 46 Similar and Opposite Words

candidness

noun

Definition of candidness

as in honesty

the free expression of one's true feelings and opinions candidness is something that we claim to admire—except when we are on the receiving end of a brutally honest assessment

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of candidness The reassuring finding, across the research represented in the room at the CIFAR workshop, is that candidness about uncertainty generally maintains or builds trust rather than erodes it. — Aleeza Gerstein, The Conversation, 28 Aug. 2026 Lee told the Queen that her husband’s candidness has encouraged many to feel more comfortable with their own cancer journeys. — Allison Degrushe, StyleCaster, 19 Aug. 2026 In conversation, Friedland is rapaciously curious, if slightly disorganized, prone to tangents that lead to a candidness that can verge on cringe or awkward. — Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 29 June 2026 On May 29, Behar and her cohosts on The View reflected on recent comments from Rosie O'Donnell's about her facelift, praising her candidness. — Staff Author, InStyle, 29 May 2026 Some athletes early in this era proved that charisma and candidness coupled with their athletic skills could be highly lucrative. — Chantel Jennings, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026 The duo have become known for their candidness and light-hearted humor, frequently letting viewers in on the chaos of their real lives. — Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 5 Jan. 2026 The title and author are set large in a text weight of Didot, echoing the candidness of the photo and the material. — Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 11 Dec. 2025 Angela’s candidness on the season gave viewers a glimpse into her relationship with Charles, including the aftermath of the 2017 incident at Madison Square Garden and accusations of infidelity. — MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for candidness

Noun

That honesty is what turns AI from an experiment into something the business can trust.

— Matt Waxman, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2026
Her raw honesty in West End Girl likely led to the album’s widespread positive reception, Allen said.

— Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of honesty

Noun

Cox’s script, meanwhile, trades increasingly in one-size-fits-all therapy speak, and despite Qualley’s natural sincerity as a performer, Maya seems steadily less specific a personality as the years pass.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026
Like Warhol, Rouy makes work balancing on the razor’s edge between sincerity and cynicism.

— David Lê, Curbed, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of sincerity

Noun

The novel, published in 1988, foreshadowed the career to come by taking on, with disarming frankness, everything from child abuse to transracial adoption.

— Casey Cep, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026
Horgan, whose Catastrophe charted the ups and downs of a relationship with painful, hilarious honesty, applies the same frankness to the minor indignities of midlife.

— Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of frankness

Noun

The loudest alarms back then came from outsiders — misfit investors like Michael Burry and academics like Raghuram Rajan — who got plenty of grief for their candor.

— Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 15 Sep. 2026
When a system can drop the fourth wall unprompted, ingest its own structural tells and re‑engage with unvarnished candor, the vulnerability shifts from deceptive compliance to authentic resonance.

— Terry Oroszi, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of candor

Noun

Rather than writing traditional Broadway show tunes, Sheik and Sater created a rock score that drew on the emotional directness of alternative music.

— SPIN Staff, SPIN, 18 Sep. 2026
Palace missed Sarr’s directness, with summer signing Dwight McNeil, Eddie Nketiah and Mateta not showing a full understanding.

— Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of directness

Noun

What Premier League clubs have shifted away from is — and apologies for the bluntness here — tolerating goalkeepers who aren’t good enough at saving shots.

— Michael Cox, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
The Venezuela native never shied away from bluntness — and profanity — in assessing players, plays, games or whatever.

— CBS News, CBS News, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of bluntness

Browse Nearby Words

candidly

candidness

candied

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“Candidness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/candidness. Accessed 24 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of candidness

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