candor
Americannoun
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the state or quality of being frank, open, and sincere in speech or expression; candidness.
The candor of the speech impressed the audience.
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freedom from bias; fairness; impartiality.
to consider an issue with candor.
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Obsolete. kindliness.
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Obsolete. purity.
Etymology
Origin of candor
First recorded in 1350–1400 (for sense “extreme whiteness”); Middle English, from Latin: “radiance, whiteness”; see candid, -or 1
Explanation
Candor usually means the quality of being open, honest, and sincere. If someone tells you they think you're boring, you might reply with, "While I appreciate your candor, I don't think we need to be friends anymore." The corresponding adjective is candid, as in "I want you to be candid. Did everyone notice the spinach between my teeth when I gave my speech?" Candor is from French candeur, from Latin candēre, "to shine or be white." The color white is associated with purity, which is a now obsolete meaning of candor.
Vocabulary lists containing candor
The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 2
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300 Most Difficult "SAT" Words
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Advanced English Words
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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.
But leadership means shielding your team from unnecessary noise while fostering candor, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon said in the latest episode of WSJ Leadership Institute Presents: Leaders, as seen in the video above.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026
That’s where another of Cascione’s strengths came into play: his candor.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 18, 2026
This effort succeeded, Glass said, despite the exhibit’s candor about the darker elements of the nation’s military history.
From Salon ● Sep. 25, 2026
The judge sent the jury back to deliberate several times and the idea behind juror deliberations is you’re supposed to discuss the evidence with one another with candor, to openly listen.
From Slate ● Sep. 4, 2026
The chaplain would encourage Nately with nods of comprehension or assent, amused by his candor and immaturity.
From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller
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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.
