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
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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.
Among the trove of evidence, from candid emails and private text messages to meeting notes, was Brockman’s private diary, which became something of a star witness.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 16, 2026
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
She’s been candid about being a “very ambitious woman” and using “Secret Lives” as a launchpad for a career in Hollywood — and this isn’t the first time she’s departed the show.
From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2026
"That is a very candid account of probably what I was thinking at the time, but there was no space or avenue or mechanism for me to put that on the table," Sir Philip said.
From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026
He decided that he himself, at any rate, would be perfectly candid and plain.
From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams
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.
