candid

1 of 2

adjective

can·​did ˈkan-dəd 

1

a

: expressing opinions, feelings, etc. in an open, honest, and sincere way

She was very candid about her past.

also : being or involving such expression

a candid discussion

shared their candid opinions

b

: disposed to criticize severely : blunt

… a candid critic of the Police Department's accountability practices.

—Steve Miletich

c

: indicating or suggesting sincere honesty and absence of deception

her candid face

… his candid eyes took on a look of genuine sympathy …

—Archibald Marshall

2

: relating to or being photography or videography of one or more subjects acting naturally or spontaneously without being posed

candid photos

captured a candid moment

Hoping to catch them in a candid pose [=a natural posture], Nora slowly raised the camera …

—William Grant

3

: free from bias, prejudice, or malice : fair

a candid observer

… in the back of his candid mind he knew that … the charges against him were true.

—Irwin Edman

4

dated, literary : white

candid flames

When candid clouds repeat on halcyon seas …

—Frederic Crowninshield

candidly adverb

candidness noun

candid

2 of 2

noun

plural candids

: a photograph of one or more subjects acting naturally or spontaneously without being posed : a candid photograph

If you are taking candids, it can be hard to capture the one split-second where the baby cracks a smile.

—Michael Hession

The Chicago native's fascinating shots capture subjects in both portraits and candids that evoke Black joy.

—New York Amsterdam News

"Lunch with my girl," Reese captioned this cute candid of the two enjoying delicious-looking salads.

—Mike Vulpo

Did you know?

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.”

Synonyms of candid

Adjective

• outspoken
• honest
• frank

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

Examples of candid in a Sentence

Adjective

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

Adjective

But aside from the hard-hitting diplomacy, photographs released by the White House captured a rare candid moment between the two leaders. —Chris Lau, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025

The content creator, whose real name is Elias Medini, is part of a new wave of social commentators offering candid takes on fashion month, which saw a record 15 designer debuts this season, opening the floodgates for hot takes and community engagement. —Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 3 Nov. 2025

Noun

The studio has been posting headshots, candids, and even motion graphics of the AI performer, who takes the form of a dewy teenage girl who is supposed to live in London. —Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 30 Sep. 2025

Also signature was the style of photography; the models were caught in action, with some of the shots looking like candids. —Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 19 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French candide "brilliant, favorably disposed," borrowed from Latin candidus "bright, white, light-colored, clear (of liquids), favorable, kind," adjective derivative corresponding to candēre "to shine, be white, gleam," going back to Indo-European *(s)kn̥d-C-, zero-grade stative derivative of *(s)kend- "shine/make shine," whence Latin -cendere in accendere, incendere "to set on fire, kindle"; in nominal derivatives Middle Welsh cann "white, shining," Middle Breton cann "full moon," Sanskrit candráḥ, ścandráḥ "bright, the moon"

Noun

derivative of candid entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Noun

1936, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing candid

• candid camera

Rhymes for candid

• banded
• branded
• handed
• landed
• sanded
• stranded
• backhanded
• commanded
• demanded
• disbanded
• expanded
• misbranded

Kids Definition

candid

adjective

can·​did ˈkan-dəd 

1

: marked by or showing sincere honesty : frank

2

: relating to photography of people acting naturally without being posed

candid picture

candidly adverb

candidness noun

Etymology

Adjective

from French candide "white" and Latin candidus "white, bright," from Latin candēre "to shine, be bright" — related to candidate, candle see Word History at candidate