OPENNESS Synonyms: 62 Similar and Opposite Words

openness

noun

Definition of openness

as in honesty

the free expression of one's true feelings and opinions her openness was refreshing after the tiresome coyness of her friends

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in vulnerability

the state of being left without shelter or protection against something harmful doctors are concerned about the population's openness to the new strain of the flu virus

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 openness That openness is the best thing about Cooked, a record that summons electric Miles and Popol Vuh and the Necks but mostly explores endless emotional ambiguity, offering a reminder that very few sensations are ever pure. — Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 15 Oct. 2026 Over the years, my spatial disorientation, my openness, has come at this cost too. — Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026 Change, in his view, will be measured in the government’s openness to scrutiny. — Dominique Soguel, Christian Science Monitor, 13 Oct. 2026 But even some Republicans have expressed openness to tax hikes to keep Social Security’s trust fund solvent. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026 But the box factory, a commercial condo, was unique in both its openness to testing and revealing the findings to the public. — Kim Velsey, Curbed, 9 Oct. 2026 What’s required is deciding, deliberately, that presence is a strategy and building a calendar designed with openness and supportiveness. — Jennifer Hoffmann, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026 Its artists combined the rebellious spirit of punk with an openness that transformed music, fashion and popular culture. — Pat Saperstein, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026 Anthropic and OpenAI have said their advanced AI products need to be regulated, and company representatives at the hearing expressed openness to some of the Council's suggestions. — ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for openness

Noun

In a world that rewards keeping appearances, Space Afrika makes conveying honesty and vulnerability look easy.

— Kiana Mickles, Pitchfork, 13 Oct. 2026
But when customers already know something went wrong, an apology can signal warmth and honesty.

— Bilin Lin, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of honesty

Noun

Either way, Rahimi balances the character’s clear vulnerability with just enough ambiguity about his plans for the school, accentuated through Majidi’s restrained and naturalistic approach.

— Kambole Campbell, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
And in a war that is as much about economics as explosives, this may be the vulnerability that the Houthis, and Iran, are banking on.

— Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of vulnerability

Noun

Still, the sincerity matters, and so does the achievement of realizing something this strange with such conviction.

— Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 14 Oct. 2026
After many fans online questioned the sincerity of Art of Play’s statement, Clarkson herself stepped back into the fray.

— Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of sincerity

Noun

However, the other side of the equation — the potential therapeutic benefits of heat exposure — have received considerably less attention from modern medical science.

— Will Stone, NPR, 11 Oct. 2026
Research into how skin responds to ultraviolet radiation highlights the importance of managing sun exposure.

— Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of exposure

Noun

The novel, published in 1988, foreshadowed the career to come by taking on, with disarming frankness, everything from child abuse to transracial adoption.

— Casey Cep, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026
Horgan, whose Catastrophe charted the ups and downs of a relationship with painful, hilarious honesty, applies the same frankness to the minor indignities of midlife.

— Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of frankness

Noun

Savio The Brazilian is still finding his feet but already feels like an important player, offering pace, directness and a willingness to take on his man — qualities lacking in many of his team-mates.

— Dan Kilpatrick, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2026
Paul, meanwhile, was in a period of uncharacteristic autobiographical directness in his lyric-writing, documenting his grievances with his actor girlfriend Jane Asher while residing in her family’s London home.

— Darryn King, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of directness

Browse Nearby Words

open-mouthed

openness

opens

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“Openness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/openness. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of openness

noun

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