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 Most telling is how openly Stassi disdains the idea of therapy, even insisting to the horror of pretty much everyone else onscreen that forcing hard conversations on reality TV is her therapy. — Caroline Framke, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2026 The honest move is to redesign the coordination function openly. — Pallavi Mahajan, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 Mayor Julie Smith, of Tifton, and Mayor Scott James Matheson, of Valdosta, are in nonpartisan positions, but are both openly conservative and registered Republicans. — Irene Wright, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026 At the same time, Niccolò also secretly commissions the openly gay upstart Michelangelo (Brennan Pickman-Thoon) to paint the Battle of Cascina. — Charles Lewis Iii, Mercury News, 6 Aug. 2026 In 1994, Kuehl made history as the first openly gay person elected to the California State Legislature, later serving in the state Senate and on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors before retiring from public office in 2022. — Sophie Clausen, PEOPLE, 6 Aug. 2026 Their survival and our ability to speak openly about the brutal past felt miraculous. — Lina Sergie Attar, Time, 6 Aug. 2026 In recent months, Hilton has also spoken openly about a significant spiritual transformation. — Malik Davis, Rolling Stone, 6 Aug. 2026 When public figures speak openly about the decision, their comments often become newsworthy in their own right. — Sezin Devi Koehler, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for openly

Adverb

Videos on Iranian social media showed many women at the cafes flouting mandatory veiling laws, and crowds mixing freely.

— ABC News, ABC News, 2 Aug. 2026
That is considerably easier from an AI-training perspective than allowing autonomous trucks to travel freely through ordinary cities or mixed public traffic.

— Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of freely

Adverb

Colquitt sincerely believes that her work can restore the dignity too often denied people in their last days.

— John Semley, Harpers Magazine, 28 July 2026
But the results and the action on the field were second to the experience for Baldwin, who was sincerely present in the moment during the two days of All-Star Game activities.

— Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 15 July 2026