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 His movie shares and enhances the novel’s commitment to excavation—but in place of the plainspoken language of Whitehead’s novel and the ground-penetrating pickaxes of real life, Ross favors images. K. Austin Collins, The Atlantic, 13 Dec. 2024 Just plainspoken storytelling about his regrets, mental struggles and redemption couched in acoustic guitars, affecting backbeats and the occasional banjo and gospel chorus. Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 11 Oct. 2024 Tranströmer, with his plainspoken, even stark, lyricism, seemed to me at first quite the opposite of heat. Tomas Tranströmer, The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2024 The plainspoken Padilla told story after story about each tenant, each street, in equal parts English and Spanish. Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2023 See All Example Sentences for plainspoken
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plainspoken
Adjective
  • The Baldwins have been a public lightning rod with their outspoken political views and social-media controversies.
    Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
  • In the September 1967 school board election, voters replaced two incumbent members with candidates who were outspoken opponents of the Oregon Plan.
    Time, Time, 4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • But all friends need to be honest with each other, to tell each other home truths when it’s needed, to confront those awkward moments without fear of the reaction.
    Steve Sedgwick, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2025
  • But when those larger firms start to adopt similar habits—open forums, early interventions, honest check-ins—things change fast.
    Stephan Lendi, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The stand-up comedian has previously been candid about her experience with postpartum depression.
    Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Blair, who’s hilariously candid in her interviews, showed up late on set and refused to don the same makeup from the first movie.
    Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The son of LeBron James, Bronny has heard the nepotism criticisms ever since getting a shot at the NBA, and to be quite frank, some of that has some validity to it.
    Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
  • In the interview, Clegg offered frank remarks on an array of topics related to his six years at Meta.
    Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Plainspoken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plainspoken. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

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