candor

noun

ˈkan-dər How to pronounce candor (audio)
Definition of candornext
1
as in honesty
the free expression of one's true feelings and opinions an interview in which the members of the rock band speak with candor about their recent squabbling

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in brilliance
the quality or state of having or giving off light the desert sun shone down on the intrepid travelers with fiery candor

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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 candor The Constant reproach to the Königsberg case is that candor and confession can become cruelty by another name. — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026 On World Mental Health Day, the company hosted a fireside chat with Tony Hawk, whose candor and empathy resonated deeply with employees. — Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 12 Aug. 2026 For this reason, many are praising OpenAI for its transparency and candor around the event. — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2026 Policymakers must gain the support of the American people and Congress through candor and consultation. — Kori Schake, Foreign Affairs, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for candor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for candor
  1. honesty
  2. brilliance
  3. sincerity
  4. brightness
  5. frankness
  6. brilliancy
  7. directness
  8. lightness
Noun
  • Daniel and Shaheen bring such confidence and emotional honesty to the roles.
    — Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2026
  • A touch of honesty from the family running the show goes a long way.
    — Candace Buckner, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of honesty
Noun
  • Though the character is based on the author, the rest of this smart thriller’s story is fictionalized, a playful metatake that serves as both an ode to Highsmith’s brilliance and a twisty ride that’s sure to leave audiences surprised.
    — Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The richest and most watched football league in the world will bring us brilliance, talent, glitz and jamboree.
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of brilliance
Noun
  • The human nervous system recognizes sincerity faster than polish.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Alter denounced Kanter Freedom as a bad-faith actor and questioned the sincerity of his concerns about transgender women in sports.
    — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of sincerity
Noun
  • These zones adjust their brightness according to the content on screen, dimming darker areas while maintaining brightness in highlights.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The brightness and satisfying variety in textures and flavors brought me back to life after a long day of dancing and eating.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of brightness
Noun
  • Written with grimy, enlivening frankness — and an ability to dig into moral ambiguity — every character scrambles to get a leg up.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • King walked into the room with impersonal frankness and sat on the bed beside me.
    — Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of frankness
Noun
  • The result is an incredible repository of vexations, bafflements, witticisms, and brilliancies.
    — Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
  • So, astronomers have come up with a compromise regarding the geometry of the sun's illumination angle on Venus' disk versus its distance from Earth to determine the time of Venus' greatest brilliancy.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of brilliancy
Noun
  • Palace missed Sarr’s directness, with summer signing Dwight McNeil, Eddie Nketiah and Mateta not showing a full understanding.
    — Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Marius, approaching 50, is a big doctor in this provincial city, not just a surgeon but the director of the hospital, and a man who prides himself on his directness and honesty.
    — Jay Weissberg, Variety, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of directness
Noun
  • Perhaps what’s most remarkable about Orbitals is its sense of lightness.
    — George Yang, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Its native structure, the twenty-two-episode season, has become a rarity in the industry, as has its default lightness.
    — Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of lightness

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candles
candor
candy
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Cite this Entry

“Candor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/candor. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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