Definition of CANDID

Choose the Right Synonym for 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

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.”

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 on the Web

Senate Republicans, who are typically more muted in their criticisms of the president, have been unusually candid in pushing back against such a move, which would likely divide them on any coming vote. — Natalie Andrews, WSJ, "Senate Republicans Push Back on Trump’s National Emergency Talk," 5 Feb. 2019 McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown is candid in saying that OnePlus is expert in building phones and that the design is all OnePlus’ work, with only a little assistance and inspiration from McLaren. — Vlad Savov, The Verge, "McLaren and OnePlus kick off exclusive partnership with McLaren OnePlus 6T," 11 Dec. 2018 The celebrity trainer gets candid in our May issue. — Kathleen Mulpeter, Health.com, "Tracy Anderson Opens Up About Her Engagement and Having Another Child at 43: "My Body Feels Like It Can Do It"," 10 Apr. 2018 The star, who has historically been very candid in her Snapchat stories will apparently have to take her relatable posts and antics elsewhere. — Erin Reimel, Glamour, "Here's Why You Won't See Chrissy Teigen on Snapchat Anymore," 25 Mar. 2018 The Washington Post report suggests that in addition to these public statements, Stone was even more candid in private conversations about ties to WikiLeaks. — Maegan Vazquez, CNN, "WaPo: Roger Stone had contact with Assange in 2016," 13 Mar. 2018 The bareMinerals beauty ambassador and owner of Rose Inc.—an editorial beauty and lifestyle platform—got candid about everyone's biggest beauty misconception of her, her skin struggles, and her number-one product for getting that glow. — Maya Allen, Marie Claire, "Rosie Huntington-Whiteley's #1 Product for Glowy Skin Is Not What You'd Expect," 22 Feb. 2019 The former Fixer Upper star got candid about her relationship with Instagram in her latest issue of The Magnolia Journal, reported TODAY. — Megan Stein, Country Living, "Joanna Gaines Gets Candid About the Moments She Needs to ‘Check Myself’ With Her Kids," 3 Feb. 2019 Allen recently sat down with PEOPLE for a candid discussion about music, motherhood, sobriety and her split. — Jeff Nelson, PEOPLE.com, "Lily Allen Reveals How Her Divorce, Motherhood and Sobriety Inspired Her New Album," 13 June 2018

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.