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.
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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
-
clear or pure
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Related Words
See frank 1.
Other Word Forms
- candidly adverb
- candidness noun
- pseudocandid adjective
- quasi-candid adjective
- subcandid adjective
- supercandid adjective
- uncandid adjective
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
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.
The judge ruled that Bill Clinton’s 79 audiotapes of candid discussions about his presidency with a historian were considered personal by Mr. Clinton and thus protected from forced disclosure to the archives.
We spent the most time joking and capturing candid moments with Billy comfortably leaning into that furry hug.
From Los Angeles Times
And it affected me more than I thought it would, to be candid.
From Los Angeles Times
In surprisingly candid remarks, Powell indicated the Fed does not trust official government statistics that estimate the economy added an average of 40,000 new jobs a month from April to September.
From MarketWatch
Ms. Knowles’s candid narrative of raising her extraordinary daughters, staying true to herself in the world of entertainment and living with humility amid success is inspiring and instructive.
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.
