can ‧ did /ˈkændəd, ˈkændɪd/ BrE AmE adjective
[ Date: 1600-1700 ; Language: French ; Origin: candide , from Latin candidus 'bright, white' , from candere 'to shine' ]
telling the truth, even when the truth may be unpleasant or embarrassing SYN frank
candid about
She was quite candid about the difficulties the government is having.
candid with
He was remarkably candid with me.
It struck me as an unusually candid confession for a politician.
—candidly adverb
⇨ ↑ candour
• • •
THESAURUS
■ not hiding the truth or the facts
▪ honest saying what you really think and not hiding the truth or the facts:
I’m going to ask you something, and I want you to be honest with me.
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an honest answer
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To be honest, I didn’t think his speech was very good.
▪ straight informal honest and saying what you really think:
I can’t help you if you’re not straight with me.
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I need a straight answer.
▪ open willing to talk about what you think, feel etc in an honest way, rather than trying to hide it:
People have become more open about their feelings.
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She’s very easy to talk to because she’s so open.
▪ frank speaking honestly and directly about something, especially something that people find difficult to discuss:
In his book, he’s brutally frank about his experience with his illness.
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a frank discussion about sex
▪ direct saying exactly what you think in an honest clear way, even when this might annoy or upset people:
Not everyone liked his direct manner.
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She can be very direct.
▪ blunt speaking in a completely honest way, even if it upsets people, when it would be better to be more careful or polite:
Sorry if I was a bit blunt with you.
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His hard tone and blunt words were hurtful.
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She didn’t reply and I knew I had been too blunt.
▪ upfront [not before noun] informal talking and behaving in an honest way, even when it is difficult to do this, in a way that people respect:
It’s best to be upfront about your financial problems.
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You have to be upfront with kids.
▪ outspoken expressing your opinions publicly in a very direct way, which may offend or annoy some people:
an outspoken critic of the government
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He was known for his outspoken views on various controversies.
▪ forthright formal saying exactly what what you think, without being afraid of what other people will think:
The opposition have not come up with a clear forthright statement of their policies.
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At times, Helena was a little too forthright.
▪ candid formal honest about the facts, or about your opinions and feelings, even if other people disapprove of them:
He’d always been completely candid about his past.
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It was an unusually candid admission for a politician.