as in honesty
the free expression of one's true feelings and opinions
candidness is something that we claim to admire—except when we are on the receiving end of a brutally honest assessment
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Recent Examples of candidness
On May 29, Behar and her cohosts on The View reflected on recent comments from Rosie O'Donnell's about her facelift, praising her candidness.
—
Staff Author, InStyle, 29 May 2026
Some athletes early in this era proved that charisma and candidness coupled with their athletic skills could be highly lucrative.
—Chantel Jennings, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026
The duo have become known for their candidness and light-hearted humor, frequently letting viewers in on the chaos of their real lives.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 5 Jan. 2026
The title and author are set large in a text weight of Didot, echoing the candidness of the photo and the material.
—Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 11 Dec. 2025
Angela’s candidness on the season gave viewers a glimpse into her relationship with Charles, including the aftermath of the 2017 incident at Madison Square Garden and accusations of infidelity.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
Praised for her dry candidness and direct attitude online, Bethenny Frankel isn’t one to fall victim to a viral trend or product trap.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2025
The world sees the behavior but rarely the illness behind it; this is what makes Gucci’s candidness about his journey so critical.
—Essence, 23 Oct. 2025
Such welcome candidness to questions of spirituality is enough to move even a resolute non-believer like me.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2025
Staff Author, InStyle, 29 May 2026
Some athletes early in this era proved that charisma and candidness coupled with their athletic skills could be highly lucrative.
—Chantel Jennings, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026
The duo have become known for their candidness and light-hearted humor, frequently letting viewers in on the chaos of their real lives.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 5 Jan. 2026
The title and author are set large in a text weight of Didot, echoing the candidness of the photo and the material.
—Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 11 Dec. 2025
Angela’s candidness on the season gave viewers a glimpse into her relationship with Charles, including the aftermath of the 2017 incident at Madison Square Garden and accusations of infidelity.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
Praised for her dry candidness and direct attitude online, Bethenny Frankel isn’t one to fall victim to a viral trend or product trap.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2025
The world sees the behavior but rarely the illness behind it; this is what makes Gucci’s candidness about his journey so critical.
—Essence, 23 Oct. 2025
Such welcome candidness to questions of spirituality is enough to move even a resolute non-believer like me.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for candidness
Noun
-
The qualities that sustain healthy families, including honesty, accountability, forgiveness, and sacrifice, cannot be purchased or given.—
David H. Rosmarin,
Time,
10 June 2026
-
The focus was on honesty in materials and construction, simple forms, and harmonious indoor-outdoor spaces, with plenty of room left over for personal flourishes that reflected the spirit of the site and lifestyle of the young family, including their 5-year-old daughter, Stevie.—
Wendy Bowman,
Robb Report,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
The piece has to throb and, well, that is not the first verb that comes to mind in director Jonathan Butterell’s production, with all due respect for the sincerity of the effort and the intermittent effectiveness of the storytelling.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
5 June 2026
-
But in those cases and others, the defendants took concrete steps that demonstrated their sincerity and conscious awareness of the threatening nature of their speech.—
Wayne Unger,
The Conversation,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
Seydoux asks me in a moment of frankness.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
18 May 2026
-
Her love for the city is palpable, imbued with her frankness, her fun, her queerness, and her history.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
None of his previous attempts at candor have garnered the same public response as the intimacy – and immediacy – of his online posts.—
Jay Stahl,
USA Today,
6 June 2026
-
Nessel discussed political realities with a candor rare among public officials.—
Andrew Cockburn,
Harpers Magazine,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Your forthrightness will set the tone for future dates.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
6 June 2026
-
There’s something both startling and seductive about such forthrightness.—
Jeremy Lybarger,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
In contrast to this ribald directness, Kokopeli’s playsets feature characters who appear detached and disconnected.—
Theo Belci,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
-
In most workplaces, uncertainty drains more energy than directness.—
Benjamin Laker,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
Noun
-
Slot, as head coach, was more of a middle manager; someone who acted with the objectivity of a civil servant and the occasional bluntness of a corrections officer.—
Simon Hughes,
New York Times,
30 May 2026
-
Rise and fall But Healy, with her characteristic bluntness, didn’t sugar-coat what happened to that law.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Candidness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/candidness. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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