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

Yes, those of us who are both excited and nervous about the promise of AI welcome the prospect of kings and clerics and populist politicians alike standing up to the tech lords — who, frankly, could use some perspectives other than their own. — Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026

The diabolical is ambiguous and often frankly sexy; the ridiculous is not. — Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026

Your parents really aren’t that interested in the racing scenes or, frankly, the medical stuff. — Josh Gondelman, New Yorker, 17 Sep. 2026

That leaves Tim Weah, whose 2026 World Cup was frankly forgettable. — Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 16 Sep. 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