Synonyms of openness

openness

noun

1

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

• honesty
• sincerity
• frankness
• directness
• forthrightness
• straightforwardness
• candor
• candidness
• bluntness
• outspokenness
• plainness
• simplicity
• openheartedness
• unreserve
• earnestness
• plumpness
• unreservedness
• naïveté
• unguardedness
• plainspokenness
• freedom
• sobriety
• communicativeness
• artlessness
• genuineness
• unrestraint
• unsophistication
• license
• uninhibitedness
• unrestrainedness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• indirection
• dissimulation
• dissembling
• secretiveness
• evasiveness
• restraint
• inhibition
• reticence
• shyness
• reserve
• diplomacy
• tact
• circuitousness

2

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

• vulnerability
• exposure
• risk
• susceptibility
• liability
• predisposition
• helplessness
• danger
• weakness
• defenselessness
• jeopardy
• peril

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• protection
• safeguarding
• shielding
• sheltering

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of openness

After the talks in the Kremlin, Ushakov described the talks as constructive and carried out with the utmost openness and trust. — Kyla Guilfoil, NBC news, 5 Sep. 2026

San Francisco is often characterized by its hype and unbridled enthusiasm around AI, but Frosst says there’s an openness to friendly debate in Toronto that feels unique. — Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026

The new record adds to the feeling that in 2026, the number of people who can win a major in the women’s game is not down to openness, but rather parity. — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026

That series is credited with ushering in a new openness in Britain around female sexuality. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026

That gives Mobu a sense of scale and openness rarely found within a superyacht of this size, the studio says. — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 1 Sep. 2026

Any efforts to align North American policy under a new USMCA must retain an openness to trade with these other countries to facilitate a broader alignment in the future. — Chad P. Bown, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2026

Paul hopes the new collection provides a deeper understanding of the sense of openness that drew people to California in the first place. — Anthony Solorzano, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026

For example, experts might put a lot of effort into listening to community needs to demonstrate integrity and openness, but miss opportunities to communicate the underlying benevolent motivations driving their work. — John C. Besley, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026