OUTSPOKENNESS Synonyms: 46 Similar and Opposite Words

outspokenness

noun

as in honesty

the free expression of one's true feelings and opinions some people find the celebrated outspokenness of that talk show host to be rather offensive

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of outspokenness His father’s boss and mentor, the reformer Hu Yaobang, whose death in 1989 sparked the protests in Tiananmen Square, was known for his outspokenness, which played a crucial role in his political demise. — Jonathan A. Czin, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2026 Her political outspokenness and fearlessness in challenging the danger women face in flaunting their sexuality, particularly in her native Argentina, is one of her strengths, as is her ability to imagine a new world where that violence doesn’t exist. — E.r. Pulgar, Pitchfork, 11 June 2026 His outspokenness has spurred discourse among country music's Republican-leaning audience. — Mars Salazar, Austin American Statesman, 2 Apr. 2026 The actor recently reflected on his political outspokenness in an interview with Vanity Fair. — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Mar. 2026 The outspokenness of the Winter Olympic athletes echoes a dramatic protest by Olympians Tommie Smith and John Carlos which electrified the 1968 Summer Games in Mexico City. — Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2026 Their outspokenness has drawn some criticism. — Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 19 Nov. 2025 Kirk's outspokenness helped dissuade those fears. — Alex J. Rouhandeh, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025 While the rise of GLP-1s brings a myriad of valid concerns − such as its contribution to disordered eating and promotion of thinness as the ideal body type − Williams' outspokenness is a crucial, balanced example of healthy and transparent GLP-1 usage. — Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for outspokenness

Noun

Like Kehlani and Tinashe, Jhené’s honesty transcended her commercial appeal.

— Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 5 Oct. 2026
That is a fair point, but honesty cuts both ways; the factory of the past is a memory, not a reality.

— Jeff Danielson, Chicago Tribune, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of honesty

Noun

Credibility question Corbett’s own sincerity, however, has been called into question in a defamation lawsuit regarding claims made against a client’s opponent in Burr Ridge’s 2019 mayoral race.

— Dan Petrella, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026
Their sincerity and humor come from the cast’s commitment to the mundane, said Ron Oliver, writer and director of many Hallmark films.

— Anthony Solorzano, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of sincerity

Noun

The novel, published in 1988, foreshadowed the career to come by taking on, with disarming frankness, everything from child abuse to transracial adoption.

— Casey Cep, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026
Horgan, whose Catastrophe charted the ups and downs of a relationship with painful, hilarious honesty, applies the same frankness to the minor indignities of midlife.

— Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of frankness

Noun

Parsons’s bluntness could change the trajectory of a star’s career with a single headline.

— Lindsey Weber, Vanity Fair, 28 Sep. 2026
What Premier League clubs have shifted away from is — and apologies for the bluntness here — tolerating goalkeepers who aren’t good enough at saving shots.

— Michael Cox, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of bluntness

Noun

These poems are made with some of the simplicity and directness of a song.

— Colm Tóibín, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026
In their directness and simplicity, Laffont’s photos evoke the style-forward photographs that Malick Sidibé was taking in Mali at that same time.

— Lucy Sante, Vanity Fair, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of directness

Noun

The reassuring finding, across the research represented in the room at the CIFAR workshop, is that candidness about uncertainty generally maintains or builds trust rather than erodes it.

— Aleeza Gerstein, The Conversation, 28 Aug. 2026
Lee told the Queen that her husband’s candidness has encouraged many to feel more comfortable with their own cancer journeys.

— Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of candidness

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outspoken

outspokenness

outspread

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“Outspokenness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outspokenness. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of outspokenness

noun

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