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
Derived 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.
Musk has long been an outspoken critic of Starmer, who served as a chief state prosecutor before entering politics.
From Barron's • Jun. 4, 2026
Since its founding by chief executive Dario Amodei, Clark and a handful of other executives, Anthropic has positioned itself as outspoken about potential risks stemming from AI.
From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026
Drag queen Pattie Gonia is asking fans for help fighting Patagonia, the popular outdoor apparel and gear company, which has sued the outspoken environmental activist for trademark infringement.
From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026
Verstappen is the most outspoken, but all the drivers basically feel the same way.
From BBC • May 26, 2026
McGovern, an outspoken war opponent, told Ellsberg he’d be willing to go public with the study.
From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin
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.
