OPENLY Synonyms: 57 Similar and Opposite Words

openly

adverb

Definition of openly

as in freely

in a direct and honest way; without hiding feelings or opinions Please feel free to express your opinions openly. The governor has been openly critical of the President.

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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 openly Be an active listener When talking to family members about changing traditions, do your best to listen openly and without judgment to what others are saying. — Parents, 27 Oct. 2026 The warning carries more weight in the wake of Trump’s decision to openly back Netanyahu ahead of Israel’s election. — Hamidreza Azizi, Time, 27 Oct. 2026 In Virginia and California, vote control was hotly and openly debated. — J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 27 Oct. 2026 The great fear is the prospect of an openly racist, fascist, far-right government coming to power. — Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 27 Oct. 2026 That would also require broader political freedoms, including the ability to form parties, campaign openly, access independent news media and social networks, and travel throughout the country without fear of detention. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2026 That is definitely the way things are when the wife of the team's biggest star is talking openly about her husband getting traded. — Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2026 Dad had openly worked for a foreign government, but that didn’t seem to concern the FBI. — Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026 That means communicating openly and collaborating efficiently across every part of the organization. — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 26 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for openly

Adverb

Every team’s games will stream locally, with many franchises also airing contests on freely available over-the-air broadcast stations.

— Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 23 Oct. 2026
The business terms, which were originally supposed to go into effect on October 30th, appeared to give Meta permission to freely scrape the new sites that use its platforms, while using the material for AI training.

— Emma Roth, The Verge, 23 Oct. 2026