outspoken

adjective

out·​spo·​ken ˌau̇t-ˈspō-kən 

1

: direct and open in speech or expression : frank

… outspoken in his criticism …

—Current Biography

2

: spoken or expressed without reserve

his outspoken advocacy of environmentalism

outspokenly adverb

outspokenness

ˌau̇t-ˈspō-kən-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of outspoken

• honest
• candid
• frank
• vocal
• forthcoming
• forthright

Examples of outspoken in a Sentence

She has been an outspoken advocate of women's rights throughout her life.

an outspoken and controversial radio host

She's very outspoken about political issues.

Recent Examples on the Web

Following her retirement, Bardot became known as an outspoken activist for animal rights and for voicing strong, controversial opinions — such as denouncing the #MeToo movement in 2018. —Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Dec. 2025

McMahon was outspoken after Morin was found raped and murdered along the Ma & Pa Trail. —Ashley Paul, CBS News, 3 Dec. 2025

Dario Amodei, the outspoken CEO of AI startup Anthropic, praised the rapid advance of new technology but said a current overspending — mostly by rivals — poses risks. —Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 3 Dec. 2025

O'Day has been outspoken about the allegations against Combs for years. —Nicole Acosta, PEOPLE, 3 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1808, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for outspoken

• awoken
• betoken
• heartbroken
• unbroken
• unspoken
• broken
• oaken
• spoken
• token
• woken

Kids Definition

outspoken

adjective

out·​spo·​ken au̇t-ˈspō-kən 

: direct and open in speech or expression : frank

outspokenness

-kən-nəs 

noun