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.
Roses signifies that which is often pushed off but is frankly just as necessary in that same life. Zahir Janmohamed, Bon Appetit Magazine, 16 June 2025 Barack Obama and Joe Biden, frankly, aided and abetted Iran's nuclear program. / Cbs News, CBS News, 15 June 2025 Choosing The Perfect Classic Coleslaw Recipe Content to spend a weekend at the lake with no meals out and only our cooking chops (and Sister Schubert's), my friends and I arrived with a frankly frightening amount of food. Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 14 June 2025 Others, like yourself (and me, frankly), want a little more substance in the correspondence. R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 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 28 Jun. 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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