frankly

adverb

frank·​ly ˈfraŋ-klē How to pronounce frankly (audio)
1
: in a frank manner
spoke frankly
2
: in truth : indeed
frankly, I don't know

Examples of frankly in a Sentence

You can speak frankly to us. frankly, I'd rather stay at home than go to the movies tonight
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The prospect of Argentina taking on the likes of Spain, France or Germany in the latter rounds of the World Cup next summer is quite frankly mouth-watering. Joseph O'Sullivan, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025 Also, frankly, some toddlers have a princess phase no matter how much parents might try to avoid it. Anna Earl, Parents, 26 Mar. 2025 Every year that passes without her induction seems, frankly, bizarre. Adam Tamburin, Axios, 25 Mar. 2025 Denial — The easy thing to do early on is to frame the disruptor as immature; maybe even the idea that the new technology could be disruptive is framed as being frankly silly. Jason Andersen, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for frankly

Word History

First Known Use

1537, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of frankly was in 1537

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Frankly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frankly. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

frankly

adverb
frank·​ly ˈfraŋ-klē How to pronounce frankly (audio)
1
: in a frank manner
you can speak frankly to us
2
: to tell the truth
frankly, I don't think it's wise
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!