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candid

[ kan-did ]

/ ˈkæn dɪd /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR candid ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

frank; outspoken; open and sincere: a candid critic.

free from reservation, disguise, or subterfuge; straightforward: a candid opinion.

informal; unposed: a candid photo.

honest; impartial: a candid mind.

Archaic. white.

Archaic. clear; pure.

noun

an unposed photograph.

VIDEO FOR CANDID

WATCH NOW: Is Being Candid A Good Or A Bad Thing?

Let us be candid with you. It can be hard tell whether being candid is a good or bad thing.

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QUIZZES

TAKE THIS QUIZ TO SEE WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL PUNCTUATION!

Commas mark divisions in sentences. Periods end declarative sentences. Apostrophes show possession. Easy, right? Well, punctuation can get pretty tricky—fast. Think you got what it takes to be a punctuation expert? Take our quiz to prove it!

Question 1 of 10

Which of the options below is the best punctuation for the sentence? It__s your turn to pick the movie __ but your sister gets to pick the board game we _ re going to play.

Its your turn to pick the movie but your sister gets to pick the board game we’re going to play.

It’s your turn to pick the movie but your sister gets to pick the board game were going to play.

It’s your turn to pick the movie, but your sister gets to pick the board game we’re going to play.

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Origin of candid

1620–30; (< French candide) < Latin candidus shining white, equivalent to cand(ēre) to be shining white (akin to incense¹) + -idus -id⁴

SYNONYMS FOR candid

1 ingenuous, naive, plain. See frank¹.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR candid ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM candid

can·did·ly, adverbcan·did·ness, nounpseu·do·can·did, adjectivepseu·do·can·did·ly, adverb

qua·si-can·did, adjectivequa·si-can·did·ly, adverbsub·can·did, adjectivesub·can·did·ly, adverbsub·can·did·ness, nounsu·per·can·did, adjectivesu·per·can·did·ly, adverbsu·per·can·did·ness, nounun·can·did, adjectiveun·can·did·ly, adverbun·can·did·ness, noun

Words nearby candid

candent, candescent, candia, candice, candicidin, candid, candid camera, candida, candidate, candidate species, candide

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for candid

Even though we were running late, Scott was jovial and candid in his conversation.
Remembering ESPN’s Sly, Cocky, and Cool Anchor Stuart Scott|Stereo Williams|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
In a candid interview, she compares the brutality of life in North Korea to the Holocaust.
How ‘Titanic ’Helped This Brave Young Woman Escape North Korea’s Totalitarian State|Lizzie Crocker|October 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
His candid remarks included his thoughts about Asian women, and his teammate Randall Simon, whom he described as a “fat monkey.”
Mark Cuban Warns That Basketball Players Could Get the Sterling Treatment Next|Evan Weiner|June 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Apart from Molly, he is most candid with Williams, allowing himself to show a weaker side.
Elia Kazan Was a Brilliant, Needy Pen Pal|Caryn James|April 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST

In a candid interview with The Daily Beast, Prepon put all the rumors to rest.
Orange is the New Black’s Laura Prepon on the Return of Alex Vause and Tom Cruise Dating Rumors|Marlow Stern|April 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A roar of laughter greeted this candid confession of future intentions.
The Revellers|Louis Tracy
"I know I shall never have courage to tell her to go," was the candid and characteristic answer.
Elster's Folly|Mrs. Henry Wood
I daresay Sri Yukteswar would have been the most sought- after guru in India had his words not been so candid and so censorious.
Autobiography of a YOGI|Paramhansa Yogananda
Moreover, your subjects—for, to be candid, you are a despot—seem to like you.
Punch, Or The London Charivari, Vol. 101, July 11, 1891|Various
The devil, candid and trustful, answered: "That will suit me."
Original Short Stories, Volume 7 (of 13)|Guy de Maupassant

British Dictionary definitions for candid

candid

/ (ˈkændɪd) /

adjective

frank and outspokenhe was candid about his dislike of our friends

without partiality; unbiased

unposed or informala candid photograph

obsolete

white
clear or pure

Derived forms of candid

candidly, adverbcandidness, noun

Word Origin for candid

C17: from Latin candidus white, from candēre to be white

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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