as in honesty
the free expression of one's true feelings and opinions
some people find the celebrated outspokenness of that talk show host to be rather offensive
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Recent Examples of outspokenness
His outspokenness has spurred discourse among country music's Republican-leaning audience.
—
Mars Salazar, Austin American Statesman, 2 Apr. 2026
The actor recently reflected on his political outspokenness in an interview with Vanity Fair.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Mar. 2026
The outspokenness of the Winter Olympic athletes echoes a dramatic protest by Olympians Tommie Smith and John Carlos which electrified the 1968 Summer Games in Mexico City.
—Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2026
Their outspokenness has drawn some criticism.
—Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 19 Nov. 2025
Kirk's outspokenness helped dissuade those fears.
—Alex J. Rouhandeh, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
While the rise of GLP-1s brings a myriad of valid concerns − such as its contribution to disordered eating and promotion of thinness as the ideal body type − Williams' outspokenness is a crucial, balanced example of healthy and transparent GLP-1 usage.
—Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2025
Mars Salazar, Austin American Statesman, 2 Apr. 2026
The actor recently reflected on his political outspokenness in an interview with Vanity Fair.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Mar. 2026
The outspokenness of the Winter Olympic athletes echoes a dramatic protest by Olympians Tommie Smith and John Carlos which electrified the 1968 Summer Games in Mexico City.
—Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2026
Their outspokenness has drawn some criticism.
—Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 19 Nov. 2025
Kirk's outspokenness helped dissuade those fears.
—Alex J. Rouhandeh, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
While the rise of GLP-1s brings a myriad of valid concerns − such as its contribution to disordered eating and promotion of thinness as the ideal body type − Williams' outspokenness is a crucial, balanced example of healthy and transparent GLP-1 usage.
—Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outspokenness
Noun
-
The responses — spanning practical strategy, personal storytelling and a fair amount of blunt honesty — reveal what casting is really looking for and why standing out starts with authenticity.—
Terry Terrones,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
-
Despite that questionable track record, Barbie is really good at her job, and her bratty attitude and brazen honesty can be winning, in a mean-girl-in-a-movie kind of way.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
His sincerity is real, his appreciation – for his fans, his band, his crew – is frequently spoken and his music is a continuous Choose Your Own Adventure game.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
17 May 2026
-
In an age of global political unrest, a news cycle saturated with mass shootings and gun violence on the streets of America, sincerity feels like a relief.—
Sarah Wang,
PEOPLE,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
Just as the story mines humor from the collision of old-fashioned ways with a modern frankness, Paul’s score combines the appeal of jaunty golden-age sounds with a freshness that feels present day.—
Naveen Kumar,
Variety,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Her love for the city is palpable, imbued with her frankness, her fun, her queerness, and her history.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
To say we are disappointed by the lack of urgency and forthrightness from the city attorney’s office is an understatement.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
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
Noun
-
If a culture prizes bluntness, ask where honesty has been missing.—
Sarah DaVanzo,
Rolling Stone,
11 May 2026
-
But the bluntness of the lyrics arrives just as quickly, undercutting the atmosphere by naming too plainly what the music had already begun to evoke with greater force.—
Emma Madden,
Pitchfork,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In that video, her performance seemed oriented toward showcasing technical ability, overriding the song’s directness with display.—
Emma Madden,
Pitchfork,
28 Apr. 2026
-
This is the meeting of the messenger planet and the taskmaster, let alone in the zodiac’s most fearless sign, setting the stage for a transit that cuts right through the fluff, forcing truth and directness.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Some athletes early in this era proved that charisma and candidness coupled with their athletic skills could be highly lucrative.—
Chantel Jennings,
New York Times,
10 Mar. 2026
-
The duo have become known for their candidness and light-hearted humor, frequently letting viewers in on the chaos of their real lives.—
Catherine Santino,
PEOPLE,
5 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Unlike many diplomats and aid officials, Zeid speaks with unusual candor.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
16 May 2026
-
Celebrity candor has helped accelerate these conversations into the mainstream.—
Aisha Alves,
Rolling Stone,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Outspokenness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outspokenness. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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