candid

play

adjective can·did \ ˈkan-dəd \

Definition of candid

1 :white

candid flames

2 :free from bias, prejudice, or malice :fair

a candid observer

3 a :marked by honest sincere expression

a candid discussion

b :indicating or suggesting sincere honesty and absence of deception

her candid face

c :disposed to criticize severely :blunt

candid critics

4 :relating to or being photography of subjects acting naturally or spontaneously without being posed

candid photos of the family at play

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candidly

adverb

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candidness

noun

See candid defined for English-language learners

See candid defined for kids

Examples of candid in a Sentence

If Bart Knaggs had been totally candid, he would have told me that when his prospective father-in-law, who was a doctor, had heard that the cancer had moved into my lungs, he said to Bart, "Well, your friend is dead." —Lance Armstrong, It's Not About the Bike, (2000) 2001
To be candid, I have wondered whether it is fair to write about a man for whom I cannot help but feel a real distaste. —Jill Lepore, Journal of American History, June 2001
There are candid … anecdotes of open-heart surgery. —Joyce Carol Oates, New York Times Book Review, 30 Sept. 1990
He was quite candid about his past.
She gave us her candid opinion on the matter.

Recent Examples of candid from the Web

In the following days Bannon gave a series of candid interviews that laid bare his disagreements with other factions in the White House.

— olivia nuzzi, Daily Intelligencer, "President Trump Is More Isolated Than Ever," 18 Aug. 2017
Despite the fact that luxury brands may have more followers, models and bloggers performed higher in terms of engagement on Stories (the outfit posts, bikini pics and candid clips probably have a little something to do with it).

— lauren alexis fisher, Harper's BAZAAR, "Emily Ratajkowski Has The Most Influential Instagram Stories Account in Fashion," 2 Aug. 2017
In a candid chat, NRDC president Rhea Suh and Marie Claire editor-in-chief Anne Fulenwider discuss the importance of the cause.

— anne fulenwider, Marie Claire, "A Conversation with the Natural Resources Defense Council About Our Commitment to Sustainability," 2 Aug. 2017
HBO marks the occasion with this deeply personal documentary featuring candid interviews with her sons, William and Harry, who describe in poignant detail their heartbreak and trauma over having lost their mother at such a young age.

— frank scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy': TV Review," 22 July 2017
National Security Adviser Michael Flynn resigned less than a month into his job after being less than candid about his contacts with the Russians.

— victor davis hanson, National Review, "Putin’s Playthings," 20 July 2017
While Bey and Jay had been keeping a super low public profile for most of June, the rapper dropped his new and extremely candid apology album 4:44, which detailed his infidelity and later absolution.

— lilian min, Redbook, "Beyoncé and JAY-Z Twins' Birth Certificates Finally Share Some Birth Details," 20 July 2017
The meeting and Q&A session, led by the Y’s chief innovation officer Asha Curran, was a candid conversation about career, ambition, and success.

— dayna evans, The Cut, "Cecile Richards: ‘If You’re Not Pissing People Off, You’re Probably Not Doing Your Job’," 19 July 2017
Trump, impatient with the Senate’s glacial pace, asked for a candid assessment of the legislation’s status from the veteran lawmakers, according to officials familiar with the meeting.

— robert costa, Washington Post, "‘It’s an insane process’: How Trump and Republicans failed on their health-care bill," 18 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'candid.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

The Many Shades of candid

It is interesting that candid, which has the original meaning in English of “white,” should have so many colors of meaning. The word comes from the French candide, which is from the Latin candidus (“bright, white”). Candid is not often used to mean “white” these days, and has shed another of its older meanings, “clear, pure.” Many of its current meanings are concerned with forms of honesty and forthrightness. It may refer to the indication or suggestion of sincere honesty (“her candid eyes”), or to something being marked by honest expression (“a candid talk”). However, it also carries the meaning of bluntness (or “disposed to criticize severely”), as well as “free from bias, prejudice, or malice.” The most recent sense it has taken on is in the vocabulary of photography: “relating to or being photography of subjects acting naturally or spontaneously without being posed.”

Origin and Etymology of candid

French & Latin; French candide, from Latin candidus bright, white, from candēre to shine, glow; akin to Welsh can white, Sanskrit candati it shines

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1606

See Words from the same year

candid Synonyms

Synonyms

frank, direct, forthcoming, forthright, foursquare, freehearted, free-spoken, honest, open, openhearted, out-front, outspoken, plain, plainspoken, straight, straightforward, unguarded, unreserved, up-front

Antonyms

dissembling, uncandid, unforthcoming

Related Words

artless, earnest, guileless, ingenuous, innocent, naive (or naïve), natural, real, sincere, unaffected, undesigning, unpretending, unpretentious; outgoing, uninhibited, unrestrained; vocal, vociferous; abrupt, bluff, blunt, brusque (also brusk), crusty, curt, gruff, sharp; impertinent, impolite, inconsiderate, rude, tactless, thoughtless, uncivil, undiplomatic, ungracious, unmannerly, unsubtle

Near Antonyms

inhibited, reserved, restrained; close-mouthed, laconic, quiet, reticent, taciturn, tight-lipped, uncommunicative; ambiguous, circuitous, equivocal, evasive; diplomatic, politic, tactful; civil, considerate, courteous, polite

Synonym Discussion of candid

frank, candid, open, plain mean showing willingness to tell what one feels or thinks. frank stresses lack of shyness or secretiveness or of evasiveness from considerations of tact or expedience.

- frank discussions

candid suggests expression marked by sincerity and honesty especially in offering unwelcome criticism or opinion.

- a candid appraisal

open implies frankness but suggests more indiscretion than frank and less earnestness than candid.

- open in saying what they think

plain suggests outspokenness and freedom from affectation or subtlety in expression.

- plain talk

CANDID Defined for English Language Learners

candid

play

adjective

Definition of candid for English Language Learners

: expressing opinions and feelings in an honest and sincere way
photography : showing people acting in a natural way because they do not know that they are being photographed