candid
Americanadjective
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frank; outspoken; open and sincere.
a candid critic.
- Synonyms:
- plain, straightforward, guileless, ingenuous
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free from reservation, disguise, or subterfuge; straightforward.
a candid opinion.
-
a candid photo.
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a candid mind.
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Archaic. white.
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Archaic. clear; pure.
noun
adjective
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frank and outspoken
he was candid about his dislike of our friends
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without partiality; unbiased
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unposed or informal
a candid photograph
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obsolete
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white
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clear or pure
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Synonym Usage
See frank 1.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of candid
First recorded in 1620–30; (from French candide ) from Latin candidus “shining white,” equivalent to cand(ēre) “to be shining white” (akin to incense 1 ) + -idus -id 4
Explanation
Straightforward and truthful talk might be described with the adjective candid. If you're always candid, your parents will know that they can trust you. A serious-minded politician might suggest engaging in a "candid discussion" about a complicated topic like health care or the environment, because candid means "open" or "frank." Remember that TV show Candid Camera? It was called that because its hidden cameras supposedly showed a candid view of reality. In photography, candid has become a noun meaning "an unposed photo." The word comes from Latin candidus, meaning "white," which was later extended to mean "pure." Candid talk provides the pure, unvarnished truth.
Vocabulary lists containing candid
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 5
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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From MarketWatch • Jun. 5, 2026
Candid and unsparing with its author’s often acerbic views, “Miles” is a revelatory look at the man whose blazing ambition created the epitome of cool.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026
Among her many ventures to champion the jazz music she loves so much is A&R for iconic jazz label Candid Records, founded by the great jazz writer Nat Hentoff in 1960.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 12, 2025
However, even though its findings are not unexpected, the Candid study is still extraordinarily valuable, Miranda said.
From Seattle Times • May 16, 2024
The correspondence, however, that passed between Doddridge and some of the bishops, and the interest excited by the 'Free and Candid Disquisitions,' showed that ideas of Church comprehension were not yet forgotten.
From The English Church in the Eighteenth Century by Abbey, Charles J. (Charles John)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
