candid

adjective can·did \ ˈkan-dəd \

Updated on: 19 Apr 2018

Definition of candid

1 a : marked by honest sincere expression

a candid discussion

b : disposed to criticize severely : blunt

candid critics

c : indicating or suggesting sincere honesty and absence of deception

her candid face

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

a candid observer

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

candid photos of the family at play

4 : white

candid flames

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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

The candid admission only bolstered her common sense and down-to-earth public image.

— Bloomberg.com, "Former First Lady Barbara Bush in Failing Health, Spokesman Says," 16 Apr. 2018
The candid admission only bolstered her common sense and down-to-earth public image.

— michael graczyk, BostonGlobe.com, "Barbara Bush is in ‘failing health,’ won’t seek additional medical treatment," 15 Apr. 2018
The candid admission only bolstered her common sense and down-to-earth public image.

— Washington Post, "Things to know about former first lady Barbara Bush," 15 Apr. 2018
Still, the video and audio files that were turned over by MSP show elements of the chase and its aftermath from dozens of angles and perspectives with candid, real-time comments provided by police officers seeing the events unfold in front of them.

— ann zaniewski, Detroit Free Press, "Trooper tases teen on ATV. Police video reveals what happens next.," 11 Apr. 2018
This would be a perfect caption for a #thoughtful #candid Instagram post.

— brenna williams, CNN, "US senators show they know what's up (even if they don't know WhatsApp) during Zuckerberg hearing," 10 Apr. 2018
In her essay, Ringwald provides a nuanced, candid reckoning of some of the most beloved movies of the 1980s, the movies that launched her fame.

— samantha schmidt, chicagotribune.com, "Molly Ringwald reckons with the 'The Breakfast Club' in the #MeToo era," 9 Apr. 2018
This portrait centers on candid footage of Ms. Vargas from 1991, and addresses her struggles with alcoholism in interviews with her friends and collaborators.

— sara aridi, New York Times, "What’s on TV Monday: ‘Sami Blood’ and ‘Amo’," 9 Apr. 2018
In 2014, Paige opened up about that choice in a candid blog post on her website.

— caroline picard, Good Housekeeping, "Who Is Paige Davis's Husband? Meet Patrick Page, the "Villain of Broadway"," 6 Apr. 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.

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

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

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