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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of openness
But did the openness of the Israeli government to talking about their aims in the West Bank change?
—
Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2026
But the mindset that built success—adaptability, openness and a willingness to embrace uncertainty—remains the antidote.
—Michael Sonnenfeldt, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2026
Illustrated with warmth and heartfelt openness, and colored by Kobabe’s sister Phoebe Kobabe, Gender Queer began as a way to explain eir identity and sexuality to eir parents and extended family who supported Kobabe, but lacked understanding.
—Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026
The category order, the placement of presenters, the momentum built across three-plus hours — all of it is engineered to honor that openness, to let the competitive tension breathe rather than dissipate.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 11 Mar. 2026
The new Sky View panoramic roof—a single unbroken pane of glass running from the B-pillar all the way to the rear—floods the cabin with light and creates a sense of openness.
—Sean Evans, Robb Report, 11 Mar. 2026
Through all of this, Byrne has maintained curiosity and an openness to the outside world and has floated above the usual confining boxes of fame.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026
Los Angeles World Airports officials signaled openness to delaying implementation until after the Skylink train opens, citing affordability concerns.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Soft tones like beige, light gray, or off-white make the space feel airy and expansive, allowing light to bounce around and enhance the sense of openness.
—Marisa Suzanne Martin, The Spruce, 10 Mar. 2026
Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2026
But the mindset that built success—adaptability, openness and a willingness to embrace uncertainty—remains the antidote.
—Michael Sonnenfeldt, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2026
Illustrated with warmth and heartfelt openness, and colored by Kobabe’s sister Phoebe Kobabe, Gender Queer began as a way to explain eir identity and sexuality to eir parents and extended family who supported Kobabe, but lacked understanding.
—Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026
The category order, the placement of presenters, the momentum built across three-plus hours — all of it is engineered to honor that openness, to let the competitive tension breathe rather than dissipate.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 11 Mar. 2026
The new Sky View panoramic roof—a single unbroken pane of glass running from the B-pillar all the way to the rear—floods the cabin with light and creates a sense of openness.
—Sean Evans, Robb Report, 11 Mar. 2026
Through all of this, Byrne has maintained curiosity and an openness to the outside world and has floated above the usual confining boxes of fame.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026
Los Angeles World Airports officials signaled openness to delaying implementation until after the Skylink train opens, citing affordability concerns.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Soft tones like beige, light gray, or off-white make the space feel airy and expansive, allowing light to bounce around and enhance the sense of openness.
—Marisa Suzanne Martin, The Spruce, 10 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for openness
Noun
-
Playing the title role of a linguistics professor who faces changes and prepares her family for what's to come as the disease takes hold, Moore navigates the character arc with honesty and heart-tugging empathy.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Being a good role model shows your child how to behave with kindness, honesty, and respect.—
Barrie Gillies,
Parents,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Colonel Lockjaw is an unforgettable character rife with conflict and vulnerability.—
Anne Thompson,
IndieWire,
12 Mar. 2026
-
While the book contains a small number of images of nudity, they are presented with unguarded vulnerability, including depictions of distressing medical experiences.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Joy Randolph, Ke Huy Quan and Daniel Kaluuya nailed the assignment in recent years, giving speeches that struck an endearing balance of humor and sincerity, but always with a dash of the unexpected.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Foligno always skirted the line between earnest and corny, but nobody ever doubted his sincerity.—
Scott Powers,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Despite the improvement in institutional policies, the ADL said a companion survey found many students still report exposure to antisemitic behavior on campus.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
11 Mar. 2026
-
This is the second warning about Southwest in a year, after the county previously warned of possible exposures there last spring.—
Jemma Stephenson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Her emotional frankness has also translated into measurable commercial impact.—
Amy Francombe,
Vogue,
4 Mar. 2026
-
The cast rises to the challenge of Churchill’s rapid-fire, often overlapping dialogue, with comedic highlights including Pope Joan’s coarse frankness and Dull Gret’s unexpected interjections.—
Emily McClanathan,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
That directness takes a distinct form in each artist’s practice.—
Miguel Sirgado,
Miami Herald,
5 Mar. 2026
-
She’s also known for her directness, which has led to dramatic clashes with her fellow commissioners.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
4 Mar. 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
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Openness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/openness. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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