as in honesty
the free expression of one's true feelings and opinions
considering her reputation for frankness, I knew she would tell me what she really thought of my dress
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Recent Examples of frankness
Collier, who was injured during the playoff series, read from a prepared statement that shocked everyone watching—if not for its contents, for its frankness.
—
Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2025
Though Roan is a total force on stage, polished and magnetic while trouncing around a set made to look like an illustrated fairytale castle, the show is not without her signature frankness.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 21 Sep. 2025
Meursault acquiesces but with a casually brutal frankness as to his motives, which have nothing to do with love.
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 2 Sep. 2025
Hilarious yet heartfelt, Mom offers a refreshing frankness not often seen in today's sitcoms.
—Tanya Melendez, EW.com, 16 Aug. 2025
The audience of Samsung employees, customers, analysts, and media hung onto every word, and burst into laughter when his frankness skewered tech companies—including host Samsung.
—IEEE Spectrum, 19 Oct. 2018
Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2025
Though Roan is a total force on stage, polished and magnetic while trouncing around a set made to look like an illustrated fairytale castle, the show is not without her signature frankness.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 21 Sep. 2025
Meursault acquiesces but with a casually brutal frankness as to his motives, which have nothing to do with love.
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 2 Sep. 2025
Hilarious yet heartfelt, Mom offers a refreshing frankness not often seen in today's sitcoms.
—Tanya Melendez, EW.com, 16 Aug. 2025
The audience of Samsung employees, customers, analysts, and media hung onto every word, and burst into laughter when his frankness skewered tech companies—including host Samsung.
—IEEE Spectrum, 19 Oct. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frankness
Noun
-
Some readers may bristle at her honesty, misread her motives, or choose to sit in judgment.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
26 Sep. 2025
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The film presents addiction and recovery with unflinching honesty, a stark departure from Johnson’s typically inspirational brand.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The earnestness and sincerity that characterized so much music from the late ’90s were overtaken by the sneering rage of nu metal.—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
30 Sep. 2025
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And yet, Lightfoot’s stubborn purity is surely why listeners recognize his sincerity in memorializing such a tragic event.—
John U. Bacon,
Rolling Stone,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The researchers' findings show how recent AI models default to Western-style directness, completely missing the cultural cues that govern everyday interactions for millions of Persian speakers worldwide.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
23 Sep. 2025
-
But what makes the Kimmel affair different, and much more chilling, than the dismissal of Colbert is the directness and obviousness of the federal government’s interference.—
Jason Bailey,
Mercury News,
20 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In films like that, the cultural commentary comes more from metaphor than with the bluntness and directness of The Purge.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
29 Sep. 2025
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There’s been a bluntness all season to the Hermits’ chats that ordinarily might grate on me.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
For parents, the name of the game is forthrightness.—
Nona Han,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
20 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Passions run as high as style, and candor and fervor blend with humor, to endow anecdotes and reflections with pride and purpose along with mourning and indignation.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
23 Sep. 2025
-
Many love to have the carefree candor of the vox populi intrude in celebrity circles where prohibitive media training and wellness blather pass for personality.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The candidness and vulnerability became the catalyst for her memoir, Cancer Is Complicated, out Tuesday.—
Lexy Perez,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Sep. 2025
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But his open criticism of Ohtani, one of the most popular and talented baseball players in history, marked a rare candidness from the manager.—
Peter Chawaga,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Frankness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frankness. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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