FORTHRIGHTLY Synonyms: 55 Similar and Opposite Words

forthrightly

adverb

as in openly

in an honest and direct manner the police commissioner forthrightly and unhesitatingly admitted his mistake

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Recent Examples of forthrightly Foley has been the one board member who has forthrightly stood up for oversight and accountability on every key issue. — The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 16 Apr. 2026 Coming off the ice, Malinin forthrightly congratulated the winner, Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan, as if to communicate that Shaidorov won the prize from his own efforts, not from Malinin’s failure. — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026 The appeals on stage spoke forthrightly about God, usually in explicitly Christian terms. — Ronald J. Hansen, AZCentral.com, 22 Sep. 2025 This absolute confidentiality helps give penitents the confidence to approach confession forthrightly, without holding back. — Timothy Gabrielli, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2025 His exile, rather than marginalizing him, gave him the rare platform from which to speak forthrightly. — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for forthrightly

Adverb

These provisions keep employers and plan sponsors from openly discussing their contract terms, which Cuban said blocks them from comparing fees and negotiating better deals.

— Emma Witman, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
Worse, while communist parties during the Cold War denied the crimes of the Soviet regime, some of today’s neo-Leninists openly defend them.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of openly

Adverb

And incumbents can sincerely believe important work remains unfinished.

— Nancy Forster-Holt, The Conversation, 6 Oct. 2026
In a scene at the beginning of Episode 8, actor Siena Agudong, who plays Sue, expresses Flanagan’s belief that sincerely openhearted people like Carrie are met with rejection and seen as alien in a world where cynicism is our default mode.

— Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of sincerely

Adverb

Through a layered and deeply nuanced performance, Cardellini transforms what could have been a straightforward femme fatale into a fiercely compelling protagonist.

— Dana Feldman, Forbes.com, 8 June 2026
The mix’s seasoning veers straightforward and notably doesn’t list horseradish.

— Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 20 Jan. 2026

Definition of straightforward

Adverb

While the use of AI in the filmmaking process remains a delicate topic in Hollywood, Wall Street has a more straightforwardly Darwinian view.

— Dade Hayes, Deadline, 12 Aug. 2026
In her final Facebook post, Josée straightforwardly leaves a link to the time and place of her funeral.

— Sai Rajagopal, STAT, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of straightforwardly

Adverb

Writing for Apartment Therapy, Noella Williams put the case plainly.

— Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026
Yann LeCun, the Turing laureate who ran Meta’s AI research for a decade before leaving in November 2025 to found Advanced Machine Intelligence Labs, has been saying it plainly since 2023.

— Stephen Messer, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of plainly

Adverb

This week Ukraine also reported Elon Musk’s crucial Starlink internet system had been abruptly restricted on its drones, disrupting its military’s operations, with concerns in Kyiv the move was intended to further pressure it.

— ABC News, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026
An international flight scheduled to travel from Italy to Australia was abruptly canceled last week when a bedbug infestation was discovered in the cabin during an earlier flight, and the airline issued an apology for the incident.

— Jessica Mekles, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of abruptly

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forthright

forthrightly

forthrightness

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“Forthrightly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forthrightly. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of forthrightly

adverb

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