as in honesty
the free expression of one's true feelings and opinions
considering her reputation for frankness, I knew she would tell me what she really thought of my dress
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Recent Examples of frankness
Fulmer also delivers some comedic moments as Alycia, whose fast-talking frankness can be quite funny, albeit tone-deaf at times.
—
Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
Her emotional frankness has also translated into measurable commercial impact.
—Amy Francombe, Vogue, 4 Mar. 2026
The future king addressed his personal introspective journey with frankness and awareness, an openness unusual for the royal family, which is traditionally reserved on many topics including difficult emotions and mental health.
—Stefania Conrieri, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt brushed off those comments as an example of the president’s frankness.
—Brett Samuels, The Hill, 8 Dec. 2025
Their frankness and loyalty are also notable when the call is in.
—Lisa Stardust, PEOPLE, 23 Nov. 2025
But despite its frankness, the show is more interested in ambition than in sexuality or gender relations.
—Judy Berman, Time, 30 Oct. 2025
The recording of that release as depicted in the documentary is the balancing light to the overwhelming dark Osbourne experienced in his later years, a series of illnesses, hospitalizations, frustrations and ceaseless pain shown with unblinking frankness.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 7 Oct. 2025
Collier, who was injured during the playoff series, read from a prepared statement that shocked everyone watching—if not for its contents, for its frankness.
—Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2025
Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
Her emotional frankness has also translated into measurable commercial impact.
—Amy Francombe, Vogue, 4 Mar. 2026
The future king addressed his personal introspective journey with frankness and awareness, an openness unusual for the royal family, which is traditionally reserved on many topics including difficult emotions and mental health.
—Stefania Conrieri, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt brushed off those comments as an example of the president’s frankness.
—Brett Samuels, The Hill, 8 Dec. 2025
Their frankness and loyalty are also notable when the call is in.
—Lisa Stardust, PEOPLE, 23 Nov. 2025
But despite its frankness, the show is more interested in ambition than in sexuality or gender relations.
—Judy Berman, Time, 30 Oct. 2025
The recording of that release as depicted in the documentary is the balancing light to the overwhelming dark Osbourne experienced in his later years, a series of illnesses, hospitalizations, frustrations and ceaseless pain shown with unblinking frankness.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 7 Oct. 2025
Collier, who was injured during the playoff series, read from a prepared statement that shocked everyone watching—if not for its contents, for its frankness.
—Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frankness
Noun
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When Saint Harison released his EP Lost a Friend in 2023, the songs felt like diary entries set to velvet production, full of intimate spiraling and steeped in late-night honesty.—
Gabrielle Nicole Pharms,
Rolling Stone,
25 Mar. 2026
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Jacobs is a real find as Matt, exhibiting a touch of honesty and authenticity that matches his co-star’s in every way.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Some have gone further, publicly chewing khat on the campaign trail, a gesture that signals solidarity and which has become something of a ritual in Kenyan electoral cycles, with aspiring leaders competing to demonstrate the sincerity of their commitment to khat farmers and traders.—
Joseph Maina,
semafor.com,
27 Mar. 2026
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The sincerity of this aim can sometimes run counter to the sharp, excruciatingly realistic satire that’s previously been the show’s bailiwick, and sometimes still is.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The directness with which the camera meets the eyes of the film’s subjects suggests compassion for their disfigurement and isolation (indeed, Farrokhzad adopted a boy from the colony), but there are no interviews.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
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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
Noun
-
Villa’s offensive bluntness has exacerbated other wrinkles within Emery’s collective structure.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
25 Mar. 2026
-
She’s built a career on candid takes about relationships, work and the absurdities of everyday life, delivered with her trademark mix of bluntness and charm.—
Travis Pinson,
Dallas Morning News,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
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
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WalletHub has studied deferred interest since 2012, periodically flagging retailers that offer the loans and rating their financing offers on transparency and forthrightness.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
28 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Shinichi Atobe’s arresting house and techno beams with inimitable candor, built from bright, phlegmatic loops that run on an eccentric internal logic.—
Maxie Younger,
Pitchfork,
27 Mar. 2026
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The second was a charge of a lack of candor during the Ethics Commitee’s investigation.—
Claire Heddles,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Frankness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frankness. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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