plainspoken

adjective

ˈplān-ˈspō-kən How to pronounce plainspoken (audio)
Definition of plainspokennext
as in outspoken
free in expressing one's true feelings and opinions a plainspoken woman who never hesitated to speak the unvarnished truth

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 plainspoken In emotional, plainspoken lines, Bidart reflects on growing up gay in mid-twentieth-century America. — JSTOR Daily, 11 June 2026 Finally, a full 38 years after their last onscreen romance, the old friends re-teamed for Our Souls at Night (2017), a low-key and plainspoken story of late-in-life friendship turning to something more. — Jesse Hassenger, Entertainment Weekly, 1 June 2026 The plainspoken lyrics align with a broader embrace of sincerity, privileging emotional directness over irony. — Emma Madden, Pitchfork, 14 Apr. 2026 As Walmart hurtles into the AI age and rebrands itself as a tech company, the legacy of the chain’s plainspoken founder is lore in this city surrounded by cattle farms and poultry houses. — Jessica Mathews, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for plainspoken
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plainspoken
  1. outspoken
  2. honest
  3. candid
  4. frank
Adjective
  • The feud helped cost Republicans an incumbent who may have been tougher for Democrats to dislodge, and Tillis has emerged as an increasingly outspoken critic of the president.
    — Bill Barrow, Chicago Tribune, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Some Democrats have been outspoken in their support of impeaching members of the Cabinet, such as War Secretary Pete Hegseth.
    — Hailey Bullis, The Washington Examiner, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of outspoken
Adjective
  • My honest read on timing is that the five percent will be twenty percent by end of 2027, and fifty by end of 2029.
    — Stephen Messer, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The original impetus for the film, to be honest, was to look at an incredible life story over a long German period.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of honest
Adjective
  • Bruckheimer has been candid about work on a new Pirates film which would have Jeff Nathanson writing the script.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Last month, Brody, who is Jewish and currently plays Rabbi Noah Roklov in Netflix’s Nobody Wants This, spoke to GQ about his political advocacy and went viral for getting candid about his views on Israel and Gaza.
    — Isabella Albaig, Vulture, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of candid
Adjective
  • Jones goes on to outline the band’s existing lineup, before giving a rather frank assessment of their current drummer.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The frank discussion led to some fascinating exchanges between those who fear existential risk from the technology and those who suggest the whole thing is an overblown distraction from the real issues.
    — Julia Black, Vanity Fair, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of frank

Browse Nearby Words

plains
plainspoken
plainspokenness
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Cite this Entry

“Plainspoken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plainspoken. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.

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