frankly

adverb

frank·​ly ˈfraŋ-klē How to pronounce frankly (audio)
1
: in a frank manner
spoke frankly
2
: in truth : indeed
frankly, I don't know

Examples of frankly in a Sentence

You can speak frankly to us. frankly, I'd rather stay at home than go to the movies tonight
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Some of their forwards who will get big minutes are, frankly, just getting old, with Lee now 35 and a handful of others on the wrong side of 30. James Mirtle, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025 Prior to Tuesday's game, MLB insider Ken Rosenthal was speaking about Judge's lack of postseason production and made a comment that, frankly, does not hold much truth. Andrew Wright, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025 This constant barrage overshadows the self-care experience, hijacking my focus and frankly, tiring me out. Caelan McMichael, Allure, 7 Oct. 2025 Swift’s most modern contemporary, Beyoncé, is only eight albums in, and frankly, most current groundbreaking artists probably won’t get to that stage in their career. Bianca Davino, Refinery29, 7 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for frankly

Word History

First Known Use

1537, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of frankly was in 1537

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Frankly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frankly. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

frankly

adverb
frank·​ly ˈfraŋ-klē How to pronounce frankly (audio)
1
: in a frank manner
you can speak frankly to us
2
: to tell the truth
frankly, I don't think it's wise
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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