as in honestly
to tell the truth
frankly, I'd rather stay at home than go to the movies tonight
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of frankly
Everyone was understandably rattled, but no one was hurt in the mayhem, a frankly astonishing outcome for the alleged perpetrator.
—
Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 9 Apr. 2026
With Sporting well aware of their underdog status and Arsenal feeling fragile after successive defeats, all of this respect nonsense led to, frankly, a dog of a game that felt like anything but a Champions League quarter-final.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
A lot of it stems, frankly, from Levin himself.
—Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2026
If anything, Knight taught May how to live on your toes and think five steps ahead so as not to disappoint – or frankly be noticed by – the head coach.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for frankly
Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 9 Apr. 2026
With Sporting well aware of their underdog status and Arsenal feeling fragile after successive defeats, all of this respect nonsense led to, frankly, a dog of a game that felt like anything but a Champions League quarter-final.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
A lot of it stems, frankly, from Levin himself.
—Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2026
If anything, Knight taught May how to live on your toes and think five steps ahead so as not to disappoint – or frankly be noticed by – the head coach.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for frankly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frankly
Adverb
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With white sand and emerald water, there’s honestly not much else required for an excellent beach vacation, but the destination overdelivers with a long list of attractions, great restaurants, and beautiful stays.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
13 Apr. 2026
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That’s exactly what happened to Niall Horan at the 2015 Masters Par-3 Contest — and honestly, the clip holds up beautifully.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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Shield little faces from the sun with embellished baseball hats -- styles so cute, kids will actually want to wear them.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
13 Apr. 2026
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Finding flattering pieces that actually fit my 5-foot-2 frame off the rack has always felt like hitting the fashion jackpot.—
Tanya Sharma,
PEOPLE,
12 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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Sounds like a rounding error, but the extra couple of percentage points of creamy fat is what really intensifies the flavor.—
Elliott Harrell,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
13 Apr. 2026
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But, really, this is a volume business.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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Artisanal work of this caliber is rare air indeed—an heirloom object that appears to defy gravity but is firmly rooted in generations of savoir faire.—
Paige Reddinger,
Robb Report,
11 Apr. 2026
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Some pundits claim that social media is the equivalent to smoking cigarettes or illicit drugs, a common but false claim in technology moral panics (indeed such comparisons have been identified as a warning sign of misinformation).—
William Proctor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Frankly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frankly. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
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