candidly
Americanadverb
-
in a frank, outspoken, straightforward way; openly and without holding back.
We created a neutral space where everyone could speak candidly about race issues and also work side-by-side in "co-designing" solutions.
-
without any posing or scripting, and typically without the knowledge of the person being photographed or filmed.
We are stealing from our subjects when we work candidly—stealing moments, expressions, emotions, positions, and movements.
-
fairly and impartially; honestly.
“Look at these matters candidly, Mr. Editor,” wrote one subscriber.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of candidly
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.
A report from the ICC’s oversight body found that her testimony “was given candidly, unhesitatingly and with details that rendered her experiences believable.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
This has been whispered about and lamented since the COVID-19 pandemic led to temporary theater closures across the country that have since become permanent, but it is rare to hear it expressed so candidly.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
NBA scouts who requested anonymity to speak candidly on the matter said Williams is athletic but hasn’t figure out his game yet.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026
"I'm 44 now, and, candidly, I'm living it," he said, he said of the Dream.
From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026
The “M & M” in “M & M Enterprises” stood for Milo & Minderbinder, and the & was inserted, Milo revealed candidly, to nullify any impression that the syndicate was a one-man operation.
From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller
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.
