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.
John Bolton, who served as Donald Trump's national security advisor before becoming an outspoken critic of the US president, plans to plead guilty to one count of retaining classified documents, US media reported on Thursday.
From Barron's • 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
The 23-year-old has been an outspoken critic of Russia and its ally Belarus since it began its invasion on Ukraine in 2022.
From BBC • May 24, 2026
Black Coffee is equally outspoken about how African artists are perceived globally.
From BBC • May 23, 2026
But there was more to the planters’ outrage than a desire to silence one outspoken Indian.
From "Sugar Changed the World: A Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom, and Science" by Marc Aronson
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.
