outspoken

American

[out-spoh-kuhn] / ˈaʊtˈspoʊ kən /

adjective

uttered or expressed with frankness or without reserve.

outspoken criticism.
free or unreserved in speech.

Antonyms:

taciturn

verb

past participle of outspeak.

outspoken British

/ ˌaʊtˈspəʊkən /

adjective

candid or bold in speech
said or expressed with candour or boldness

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See frank ¹.

Other Word Forms

outspokenly adverb
outspokenness noun
unoutspoken adjective

Etymology

Origin of outspoken

First recorded in 1800–10; out- + spoken

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.

Jeff Dean, chief scientist at Google’s DeepMind AI lab, has been a rare outspoken voice.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

Verstappen is the most outspoken of the drivers about the new rules, but he is far from the only one unhappy.

From BBC • Mar. 29, 2026

Sandberg has been one of the most outspoken advocates for women in business, particularly when her book “Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead” published in 2013.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

It turns out the “Buffy” reboot was fighting its own metaphorical monster: an executive who was outspoken about his lack of love for the original series.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 17, 2026

Skahaz had been outspoken in his opposition to the queen’s marriage, a fact Hizdahr had not forgotten.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023