as in freely
in a direct and honest way; without hiding feelings or opinions
Please feel free to express your opinions openly. The governor has been openly critical of the President.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for openly
Adverb
-
Some are in an area known as a regulatory floodway, which must be kept unobstructed for water to move freely during a flood.—
Stephen J. Beard,
USA Today,
12 July 2025 -
Conservatives and libertarians rightly endorse robust private charitable activity so that private citizens, acting freely and without government direction, can ameliorate social problems through voluntary action.—
Henry Olsen,
National Review,
10 July 2025
Adverb
-
The crucial element isn't avoiding errors, which is impossible, but rather owning them, apologizing sincerely, and committing to improvement.—
Julie Kratz,
Forbes.com,
13 July 2025
-
Because my beliefs are sincerely rooted in a flawed human’s attempts at decency — with equality for all, and discriminating against no one.—
Todd Gilchrist,
IndieWire,
11 July 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Openly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/openly. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share