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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Related Words
See frank 1.
Other Word 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 don’t like that your wife tried to interfere with your plans to give your money to your brother’s children, even if she was candid about where she would prefer that money to go.
From MarketWatch • May 8, 2026
“Taylor was incredibly candid with the Court that she is not perfect and owned her faults,” read part of his statement.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2026
It may also reduce certain biases: people can be more candid with a machine than with a human interviewer, especially on sensitive topics.
From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026
In 2023, he was briefly unseated as CEO, and the board claimed that he was “not consistently candid in his communications.”
From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026
“It comes down to motivation, doesn’t it? Since we’re being candid, we might as well acknowledge that we saw one another on the train bound for London. We both have missions and we’re motivated.”
From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
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.
