Synonyms for frank
- adjective
Most common
Synonyms by meaning
Adjective
1. Candid — honest, especially in a manner that seems slightly blunt; candid; not reserved or disguised
candid, honest, forthright, outspoken, plain-spoken, truthful, direct, simple, blunt, open-hearted, plain, open, fair, sincere, ingenuous, guileless, artless, free, downright, point-blank, bluff, straight-from-the-shoulder
2. Free-spoken
Other
Definitions
- adj. 1
Honest, especially in a manner that seems slightly blunt; candid; not reserved or disguised.
- adj. 2
Unmistakable, clinically obvious, self-evident.
The research probes whether treating pre-diabetes with metformin can prevent progression to frank diabetes.
Related words
- Word family
- frankly frankness
- Phrases
- to be frank cocktail frank
Choose the right word
Bluff is a word of good meaning, as are frank and open.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- honest Say what you will, I think he is an honest person.
- candid You have to be up-front and candid at interviews.
- outspoken For a Japanese woman, Miyu is unusually outspoken.
- forthright Tom was incredibly forthright and honest.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| frank | falling | |
| honest | rising | |
| candid | steady | |
| outspoken | steady | |
| forthright | falling |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 4 letters
- free1, open2, fair1
- 5 letters
- plain1, blunt1, bluff1
- 6 letters
- single2, simple2, direct2, honest2, candid2
- 7 letters
- sincere2, artless
- 8 letters
- truthful2
- 9 letters
- outspoken3, downright2, ingenuous4, guileless2
- 10 letters
- forthright2, unreserved
- 11 letters
- undisguised3
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (open2 = 2 syllables).