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.
“We had a very candid, very honest conversation about some of the things that the Latino community is missing under her administration, and she didn’t dodge, which was kind of impressive,” Serrano said.
From Los Angeles Times • May 17, 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
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
Watch as the hedge-fund manager gets candid about passing down wealth to his kids, his $250,000 longevity budget and how money changes relationships for The WSJ Money Interview.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 26, 2026
While it is charming to imagine the scene, the fact is the cameras that existed during Mudgett’s boyhood made candid moments almost impossible to capture, especially when the subject was a child.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
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.
