STRAIGHTFORWARDLY Synonyms: 55 Similar and Opposite Words

straightforwardly

adverb

as in openly

in an honest and direct manner straightforwardly yet compassionately, the doctor tells his cancer patients what their odds for survival are

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 straightforwardly While the use of AI in the filmmaking process remains a delicate topic in Hollywood, Wall Street has a more straightforwardly Darwinian view. — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 12 Aug. 2026 In her final Facebook post, Josée straightforwardly leaves a link to the time and place of her funeral. — Sai Rajagopal, STAT, 4 Aug. 2026 Reilly, who composed the song wholesale, seems content to swap his Satie-esque irresolution for something straightforwardly plaintive, like a lullaby. — Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 30 July 2026 Perhaps the cleanest rebuke of noisy nativism would be for England to win, and, if Tuchel can take that final step that eluded Southgate, he’ll be immortalized, too—perhaps in a prestige miniseries of his own, and a more straightforwardly triumphal one at that. — Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 18 June 2026 What that means is barely explained in the show’s opening arc, which is more straightforwardly rendered than the increasingly surreal final episodes, yet already a strange work rife with symbolism and abstract visual storytelling. — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 12 June 2026 Another was more straightforwardly hopeful, expressing a wish to see Iran progress in the tournament and a belief that success on the pitch might, however tentatively, cut across political divisions. — Shirvin Zeinalzadeh, The Conversation, 11 June 2026 Lily Allen, Jack Whitehall and Timothy Spall also star in Tina Gharavi's SXSW London opener, which refashions Woolf's diffuse, ruminative feminist novel into a straightforwardly inspirational tale. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 3 June 2026 The slapstick titles—Crackned Horsez, To of Them, Ape Island, all 1972—further stymied any straightforwardly polemical takeaway. — Jeremy Lybarger, Artforum, 2 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for straightforwardly

Adverb

Most telling is how openly Stassi disdains the idea of therapy, even insisting to the horror of pretty much everyone else onscreen that forcing hard conversations on reality TV is her therapy.

— Caroline Framke, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2026
The honest move is to redesign the coordination function openly.

— Pallavi Mahajan, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of openly

Adverb

Through a layered and deeply nuanced performance, Cardellini transforms what could have been a straightforward femme fatale into a fiercely compelling protagonist.

— Dana Feldman, Forbes.com, 8 June 2026
The mix’s seasoning veers straightforward and notably doesn’t list horseradish.

— Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 20 Jan. 2026

Definition of straightforward

Adverb

Colquitt sincerely believes that her work can restore the dignity too often denied people in their last days.

— John Semley, Harpers Magazine, 28 July 2026
But the results and the action on the field were second to the experience for Baldwin, who was sincerely present in the moment during the two days of All-Star Game activities.

— Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 15 July 2026

Definition of sincerely

Adverb

There’s a case to be made for every tic-tac-toe set being a travel tic-tac-toe set, due quite simply to its size; but this leather kit transforms one of the world’s simplest games into a luxury accessory.

— Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 8 Aug. 2026
Some travel essentials are simply non-negotiable, from a blackout eye mask for sleeping on the plane to a personal safety alarm for peace of mind.

— Hayley Domin, Travel + Leisure, 8 Aug. 2026

Definition of simply

Adverb

Foley has been the one board member who has forthrightly stood up for oversight and accountability on every key issue.

— The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 16 Apr. 2026
Coming off the ice, Malinin forthrightly congratulated the winner, Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan, as if to communicate that Shaidorov won the prize from his own efforts, not from Malinin’s failure.

— Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026

Definition of forthrightly

Adverb

The pursuit kept going past Cline Avenue before the Kia abruptly exited onto the Kennedy Avenue exit ramp, state police said.

— Adam Harrington, CBS News, 9 Aug. 2026
The mall closed in January 2015, except for Carson Pirie Scott, which shut its doors abruptly in March 2018.

— Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of abruptly

Adverb

One of the strongest films of the year — in years, honestly — stars 2026 MVP Sandra Hüller as a 17th-century German soldier who’s survived a bullet to the face and disfigurement around the end of the Thirty Years War.

— Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 11 Aug. 2026
Utilize self-assessments to highlight contributions with concrete details and honestly address growth areas, demonstrating self-awareness.

— Andy Molinsky, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of honestly

Cite this Entry

Style

“Straightforwardly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straightforwardly. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of straightforwardly

adverb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

salvo

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes