outspoken
Americanadjective
-
uttered or expressed with frankness or without reserve.
outspoken criticism.
-
free or unreserved in speech.
- Antonyms:
- taciturn
verb
adjective
-
candid or bold in speech
-
said or expressed with candour or boldness
Synonym Usage
See frank 1.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of outspoken
Explanation
If you often freely speak your mind, people may say that you are outspoken. How people view that particular trait in you, however, will depend on whether they agree with what you have to say or not! Use the adjective outspoken to describe someone candid and blunt, one who is direct in manner or speech. If you are an outspoken advocate for arts education in schools, you probably attend lots of school board and community meetings trying to ensure that the board does not cut music and drama from the school curriculum. If you are an outspoken critic of the way your boss does his job, you may not have yours much longer!
Vocabulary lists containing outspoken
The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 3
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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ACT Reading Test: Words to Capture Tone, List 5
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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.
He knew that outspoken players are often snuffed out first, and that his best bet was to keep a low profile.
From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026
While a changed Congress could see US lawmakers more outspoken in support of the alliance, the direction of travel is already set with Europe stepping up efforts to take more responsibility for its defence.
From Barron's ● Oct. 28, 2026
I think everybody wants public figures to be very authentically outspoken until it goes against their own beliefs, and then it’s too far.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026
Guilfoyle began dating Trump Jr. halfway through his father’s first term and emerged as one of the president’s most outspoken defenders.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
Liz was funny and outspoken and clever, and I didn’t see how all that had changed, just because people were now calling her colored.
From "The Lions of Little Rock" by Kristin Levine
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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.
