frankly

adverb

frank·​ly ˈfraŋ-klē 

1

: in a frank manner

spoke frankly

2

: in truth : indeed

Frankly, I don't know.

Synonyms of frankly

• honestly
• actually
• really
• indeed

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

Away from the spotlight, Fufu talks frankly about what fame has cost him and about the loneliness that sets in once the persona comes off. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 6 Nov. 2026

The problem is the acting, which is broad, detached and, frankly, often amateurish. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026

But hearing that sweet murder-durder voice spring ferth from Ray Donovan is, quite frankly, werth the price of admission for those of us holding an outsized appreciation for actors attempting difficult regional dialects. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 29 Oct. 2026

In the meantime, her public persona has, frankly, grown weirder. — Emma Madden, Pitchfork, 28 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1537, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for frankly

• blankly

Kids Definition

frankly

adverb

frank·​ly ˈfraŋ-klē 

1

: in a frank manner

you can speak frankly to us

2

: to tell the truth

frankly, I don't think it's wise