forthright

1 of 3

adjective

forth·​right ˈfȯrth-ˌrīt How to pronounce forthright (audio)
Synonyms of forthrightnext
1
: free from ambiguity or evasiveness : going straight to the point
a forthright critic
was forthright in appraising the problem
2
: notably simple in style or quality
forthright furniture
3
archaic : proceeding straight on
forthrightly adverb
forthrightness noun

forthright

2 of 3

adverb

1
archaic
a
: directly forward
b
: without hesitation : frankly
2
archaic : at once

forthright

3 of 3

noun

archaic
: a straight path

Examples of forthright in a Sentence

Adjective she sometimes was a little too forthright for her own good and ended up saying things that inadvertently offended people I appreciate your forthright explanation of the situation.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
If your goal is to get at the truth, or at least our closest approximation of it at the present time, the way to do that is to be scrupulous and forthright about the strengths and weaknesses of every link in your chain of argument. Big Think, 10 Feb. 2026 Lighton presents it all with unvarnished honesty, allowing the tension and humor to bloom in the clash between Skarsgård’s forthright Scandinavian brusqueness, and Melling’s awkward British charm. Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 6 Feb. 2026 In a forthright defense of the fighters under his command, the head of Ukraine’s Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Forces, Robert Brovdi, said last week there needed to be a threefold increase in the number of drone operators. Andrew Carey, CNN Money, 3 Feb. 2026 Altman, a regular user of X since 2008, has been forthright about his frustration with the bots on it. Anna Tong, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for forthright

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

Middle English, from Old English forthriht, from forth + riht right

First Known Use

Adjective

1609, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1606, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of forthright was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Forthright.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forthright. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

forthright

adjective
forth·​right
ˈfōrth-ˌrīt
ˈfȯrth-
: going straight to the point clearly and firmly
a forthright answer
forthrightly adverb
forthrightness noun

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