frankly
Americanadverb
adverb
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(sentence modifier) in truth; to be honest
frankly, I can't bear him
-
in a frank manner
Etymology
Origin of frankly
Explanation
To say something frankly is to be completely honest and straightforward. It's unusual when a politician answers reporters' questions frankly. When someone's frank, they are plainspoken and truthful, and when you communicate frankly, your words have this quality. Telling people frankly that you need their help, or expressing criticism frankly but kindly can be difficult at times, but it's something to strive for. Frank and frankly have a Medieval Latin root, francus, "free, or at liberty."
Vocabulary lists containing frankly
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.
“One of the things that I frankly pride myself on as a university president is that I readily admit that I don’t have all the answers, and certainly not the best answers,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
“Quite frankly, we simply can’t afford it,” said Muhammad Aurangzeb, Pakistan’s finance minister.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
He said the amount of tax they pay is "piffling, frankly".
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
You could meet each other halfway, which is the easy option, frankly.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 7, 2026
“I’m not stopping until I get answers! It is, quite frankly, one thing I am very good at! Remember? Badgering badger?”
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
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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.
