frankness

noun

Definition of franknessnext
as in honesty
the free expression of one's true feelings and opinions considering her reputation for frankness, I knew she would tell me what she really thought of my dress

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 frankness Written with grimy, enlivening frankness — and an ability to dig into moral ambiguity — every character scrambles to get a leg up. — Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026 King walked into the room with impersonal frankness and sat on the bed beside me. — Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026 Gigot is not wrong that Druckenmiller’s frankness seems almost refreshing in a moment when so much of the writing world is stuck in denial. — Will Oremus, The Atlantic, 27 Aug. 2026 As for the universality of her hypnotic, soulful sound and her dynamic, jazzy mezzo-soprano voice, Kidjo’s singing in five languages (Fon, French, Yorùbá, Gen-Mina and English) has forever been key to the funk, its frankness and her grace. — A.d. Amorosi, Variety, 18 Aug. 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 In the case of non-professionals, especially children, generosity should prevail over frankness. — Judith Martin, Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2026 Fulmer also delivers some comedic moments as Alycia, whose fast-talking frankness can be quite funny, albeit tone-deaf at times. — Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026 Her emotional frankness has also translated into measurable commercial impact. — Amy Francombe, Vogue, 4 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frankness
  1. honesty
  2. sincerity
  3. directness
  4. bluntness
  5. forthrightness
  6. candor
  7. candidness
Noun
  • A little warmth will keep honesty from sounding like criticism.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 1 Sep. 2026
  • That honesty, counterintuitively, builds more trust than advocacy.
    — Aurelien Mangano, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of honesty
Noun
  • The human nervous system recognizes sincerity faster than polish.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Alter denounced Kanter Freedom as a bad-faith actor and questioned the sincerity of his concerns about transgender women in sports.
    — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of sincerity
Noun
  • Palace missed Sarr’s directness, with summer signing Dwight McNeil, Eddie Nketiah and Mateta not showing a full understanding.
    — Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Marius, approaching 50, is a big doctor in this provincial city, not just a surgeon but the director of the hospital, and a man who prides himself on his directness and honesty.
    — Jay Weissberg, Variety, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of directness
Noun
  • What Premier League clubs have shifted away from is — and apologies for the bluntness here — tolerating goalkeepers who aren’t good enough at saving shots.
    — Michael Cox, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The Venezuela native never shied away from bluntness — and profanity — in assessing players, plays, games or whatever.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of bluntness
Noun
  • Alvarado has had to address that in the wake of the film’s release, and perhaps that forthrightness has aided the box office.
    — Brian Welk, IndieWire, 22 July 2026
  • Your forthrightness will set the tone for future dates.
    — Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 6 June 2026
Definition of forthrightness
Noun
  • There’s a certain grim candor about the president’s palatial ambitions for the executive mansion.
    — Jason Willick, Washington Post, 30 Aug. 2026
  • According to another league source who spoke on the condition of anonymity for their candor, New Orleans has been interested in Mathurin since his time in Indiana and sees him as a potential long-term piece.
    — William Guillory, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of candor
Noun
  • The reassuring finding, across the research represented in the room at the CIFAR workshop, is that candidness about uncertainty generally maintains or builds trust rather than erodes it.
    — Aleeza Gerstein, The Conversation, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Lee told the Queen that her husband’s candidness has encouraged many to feel more comfortable with their own cancer journeys.
    — Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of candidness

Browse Nearby Words

frankly
frankness
franks
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Cite this Entry

“Frankness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frankness. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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