as in honesty
the free expression of one's true feelings and opinions
his directness is much appreciated by his patients
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of directness
The pace and directness of Williams and Ola Aina down either side were integral to Forest’s counter-attacking style under Cooper’s successor, Nuno Espirito Santo, as Forest finished seventh last season.
—
Thom Harris, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2026
In the interim, entire scenes have absorbed her lessons about emotional directness without melodrama and club music that simultaneously thinks and feels, but often without matching her clarity or nerve.
—Jonathan Cohen, SPIN, 24 Mar. 2026
It was simply presented, with a split screen between the actor onstage and the casting director in the audience, and the directness of the actors’ messages came through both to the nominees and to viewers.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 16 Mar. 2026
Mangiapane appreciates the coach’s directness.
—Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 14 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for directness
Thom Harris, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2026
In the interim, entire scenes have absorbed her lessons about emotional directness without melodrama and club music that simultaneously thinks and feels, but often without matching her clarity or nerve.
—Jonathan Cohen, SPIN, 24 Mar. 2026
It was simply presented, with a split screen between the actor onstage and the casting director in the audience, and the directness of the actors’ messages came through both to the nominees and to viewers.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 16 Mar. 2026
Mangiapane appreciates the coach’s directness.
—Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 14 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for directness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for directness
Noun
-
According to the site’s founder, Marile Borden, this branding opportunity reflected a newfound honesty among women about the frazzling demands of motherhood.—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
-
When families begin communicating more openly, younger generations learn that vulnerability and emotional honesty are not things to fear.—
Essence,
Essence,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
People leaned in and listened intently as others spoke with sincerity.—
Jen Christensen,
CNN Money,
1 May 2026
-
There’s too much effort, too much time, and too much sincerity apparent behind this film to dismiss it outright.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Just as the story mines humor from the collision of old-fashioned ways with a modern frankness, Paul’s score combines the appeal of jaunty golden-age sounds with a freshness that feels present day.—
Naveen Kumar,
Variety,
21 Apr. 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
-
But the bluntness of the lyrics arrives just as quickly, undercutting the atmosphere by naming too plainly what the music had already begun to evoke with greater force.—
Emma Madden,
Pitchfork,
30 Apr. 2026
-
If someone tends to have more of a combative communication style, they might have been raised to see bluntness as just telling the truth.—
Nancy Pulciano,
Rolling Stone,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
To say we are disappointed by the lack of urgency and forthrightness from the city attorney’s office is an understatement.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Fortune spoke with six people who have invested in Anthropic to get a sense of how this key constituency is feeling about the situation, and found that opinions were not unified despite the company’s longstanding forthrightness about its values.—
Jessica Mathews,
Fortune,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Mary Gaitskill is particularly good at this ideal combination of straightforwardness and pithiness.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Her question, in Lipe-Smith’s inquisitive piccolo of a voice, is heartbreaking in its blend of straightforwardness and desperate desire, as is her mother’s wavering response.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The procedure is nothing new for the stars of Hollywood, but their candor around it is, which is why buzz around the cosmetic enhancement has again entered the chat.—
Michelle Lee,
PEOPLE,
28 Apr. 2026
-
In January, after his surprising decision to fire Harbaugh, Bisciotti stood in the line of fire, owning the decision during a lengthy press conference that, because of the owner’s candor, was largely well received.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Directness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/directness. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
