adjective

candid

/ˈkændɪd/ · say it: KAN·did

truthful and straightforward; frank

In Sophisticated Everyday

open and honest

In Personality & Character

In more detail

1. (adjective) honest and direct, saying what you really think without trying to hide anything

2. (adjective) (of a photograph) taken informally without the subject knowing or preparing for it

Examples

1. She gave me candid advice about my mistakes.
2. The photographer took candid shots of the children playing.

How to use candid

Candid describes honest, unguarded communication or informal, unposed photography. It suggests sincerity and a lack of artifice, though it can carry a slightly more formal tone than 'honest' alone. In photography, candid implies spontaneity and naturalness as opposed to posed shots.

Common phrases

candid camera
candid photograph
be candid about
candid assessment
candid conversation
candid opinion

Synonyms

frank · forthright · straightforward · honest · blunt

Opposites

evasive · guarded · dishonest

Word family

candidly (adverb) · candor (noun)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse candid with 'candied' (covered in sugar) or mistakenly use it to mean 'kind' or 'gentle', when it actually means direct and honest, which may sometimes seem blunt.

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