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.
-
a candid mind.
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Archaic. white.
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Archaic. clear; pure.
noun
adjective
-
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
-
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.
"I've not really enjoyed the previous two tournaments if I'm being honest," Clarke tells BBC Scotland in a candid interview.
From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026
Reifel's former boss, Police Chief Michelle Kott, told the BBC that while the department respects his decision, "I would be less than candid if I didn't acknowledge my disappointment in losing another police officer".
From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026
But this light touch is frustrating for a film that is otherwise candid about the ways we live and the patterns we stumble into, often brutally so.
From Salon • May 30, 2026
The always candid Cage acknowledges that television had not been a major part of his media diet until one of his children made a recommendation.
From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026
McCandless was candid with Stuckey about his intent to spend the summer alone in the bush, living off the land.
From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer
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.
