as in honesty
the free expression of one's true feelings and opinions
candidness is something that we claim to admire—except when we are on the receiving end of a brutally honest assessment
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Recent Examples of candidness
But his open criticism of Ohtani, one of the most popular and talented baseball players in history, marked a rare candidness from the manager.
—
Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025
Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for candidness
Noun
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With his dry, sarcastic wit and honesty, Barney is a notorious player on the dating scene.—
Lisa Stardust,
PEOPLE,
19 Sep. 2025
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Ironically, the old-school virtues (honesty, excellent service, treating people right) are the edgiest competitive strategy in the cutthroat modern market.—
Boris Kontsevoi,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Or write a support email with the perfect mix of humor and sincerity to turn a fuming customer into a loyal advocate?—
Rupesh Dabbir,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
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Driving the show is Masli’s sincerity, childlike wonder, and background in clown.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Meursault acquiesces but with a casually brutal frankness as to his motives, which have nothing to do with love.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
2 Sep. 2025
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Hilarious yet heartfelt, Mom offers a refreshing frankness not often seen in today's sitcoms.—
Tanya Melendez,
EW.com,
16 Aug. 2025
Noun
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This Court finds that Respondent’s lack of candor on his I-485 was not an oversight by an uninformed, uneducated applicant.—
Filip Timotija,
The Hill,
18 Sep. 2025
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This kind of candor is only possible at an intimate fest like Deauville.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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For parents, the name of the game is forthrightness.—
Nona Han,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
20 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Malen has the pace and directness but tends to make runs inside rather than be a wide outlet.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
11 Sep. 2025
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That directness empowers both parents and students to make sound choices.—
Joyce Marter,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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There’s a bluntness to GALE’s lyrics that makes her music refreshingly relatable.—
Tere Aguilera,
Billboard,
12 Sep. 2025
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The timing and bluntness of Musk’s statement ignited social platforms, as supporters and skeptics alike debated the possibility of corporate malfeasance or cover-up.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Candidness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/candidness. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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