candid

[ kan-did ]

/ ˈkæn dɪd /

SEE MORE 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.

RELATED WORDS

sincerely, openly, honestly

Nearby words

candescent, candescently, candia, candice, candicidin, candid, candid camera, candida, candidacy, candidate, candidate species

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 MORE SYNONYMS FOR candid ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for candidly

“When I got there the resources were so limited,” she says, candidly.
It Was All a Dream: Drama, Bullshit, and the Rebirth of The Source Magazine|Alex Suskind|October 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Norquist did, though, candidly note that, “there are outliers always willing to give a self-destructive quotation.”
The Gettysburg of the GOP Civil War|Dean Obeidallah|February 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Rather explains: “I wanted to tell it as honestly and as candidly as I could with—as Lyndon Johnson used to say—the bark off.”
Dan Rather Outspoken: Still Battling CBS News|Lloyd Grove|April 30, 2012|DAILY BEAST
"He [Wisner] was able to talk to Mubarak candidly; he gave his best counsel to Mubarak," said one official.
White House: Nothing We Can Do about the Egypt Revolt|John Barry|February 4, 2011|DAILY BEAST

Bruni candidly writes of his weight struggles, which included bulimia, laxative abuse, and junk-food binges.
Frank Bruni Revealed|Nicki Gostin|August 18, 2009|DAILY BEAST
Here is his letter, and I hope you will tell me candidly what you think.
The Perpetual Curate|Mrs [Margaret] Oliphant
"Just one thing about that still bothers me a little, doctor," Barney said candidly.
Gone Fishing|James H. Schmitz
Candidly, love, do you like a skirt without any drapery at all?
Belford's Magazine, Vol. II, No. 3, February 1889|Various
Tell me, candidly, my dear friend, whether you have not counseled Porthos to distrust me a little?
Louise de la Valliere|Alexandre Dumas, Pere
And then when we parted she gave me her hand and said, looking at me candidly: "We shall always be together, shan't we?"
White Nights and Other Stories|Fyodor Dostoevsky

British Dictionary definitions for candidly

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 Formscandidly, 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

candid

adjective

noun

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of candid

Examples from the Web for candidly

British Dictionary definitions for candidly

candid

adjective

Word Origin for candid