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.
"I am thinking especially about the youth... At about 19:30 last night... I saw 100 or so joggers on the street. Frankly, that's irresponsible."
From BBC • Jun. 25, 2026
Frankly, the dorky version of Adam is more fun than the heroic He-Man, even with Knight hammering us every minute to laugh that he’s a total weakling.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2026
Frankly, the agency is not in a good place right now.
From Slate • May 21, 2026
“This is not an AI layoff. Frankly, I think we overuse that as a reason to communicate across the industry,” Goodrazi said.
From Barron's • May 20, 2026
Frankly, I didn’t know Raul had it in him.
From "Bronx Masquerade" by Nikki Grimes
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.
