candid
Americanadjective
-
frank; outspoken; open and sincere.
a candid critic.
- Synonyms:
- plain, straightforward, guileless, ingenuous
-
free from reservation, disguise, or subterfuge; straightforward.
a candid opinion.
-
a candid photo.
-
a candid mind.
-
Archaic. white.
-
Archaic. clear; pure.
noun
adjective
-
frank and outspoken
he was candid about his dislike of our friends
-
without partiality; unbiased
-
unposed or informal
a candid photograph
-
obsolete
-
white
-
clear or pure
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Synonym Usage
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.
Vance putting out a surprisingly candid assessment of the Republican Party’s losses, while House Speaker Mike Johnson publicly acknowledged that the party had lost control of the House.
From Slate ● Nov. 5, 2026
Yet it’s just as candid about humanity’s collective desire for all those things in one form or another.
From Salon ● Nov. 1, 2026
The company’s CEO Hakan Samuelsson provided a candid and realistic appraisal on the challenges facing Western automakers in China in 2026, the bank says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2026
While the literacy advocate has been increasingly candid about his mental health battles through his social media accounts and in interviews, it has not been a regular topic on “Reading Rainbow.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026
I took advantage of my mother’s momentary distraction to keep the subject from returning to my less-than- candid behavior.
From "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
