OPENLY Synonyms: 57 Similar and Opposite Words

openly

adverb

Definition of openly

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.

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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 openly Wednesday’s hierarchy openly predicted bumps in the road and one of them was felt on August 1, a week before the first competitive game of the new season. — Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026 Saudi Arabia and Turkey — two nations that have been openly hostile toward one another for much of the last decade — pledged to go to war in each other’s defense. — Fareed Zakaria, Washington Post, 14 Aug. 2026 Talking openly about these limitations helps teens engage more critically and safely. — Megan Kelly, The Conversation, 13 Aug. 2026 Adherents of various faiths were permitted to worship openly and often received official patronage, allowing religious communities to establish connections across Eurasia. — Ethan Teekah, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Aug. 2026 Some Democratic candidates in the upcoming midterms openly describe Israel’s conduct as genocidal, reflecting a view currently shared by much of the Democratic base. — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 13 Aug. 2026 Layshia Clarendon, the league’s first openly trans and nonbinary player, retired in 2024 after 12 seasons. — Alex Sherman, CNBC, 13 Aug. 2026 Too much precarity, too little success, and too much commitment to naturally-occurring outcomes means that openly agitating for more diversity can be a nonstarter. — Adia Harvey Wingfield, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026 During the campaign, Fetterman also openly criticized McCormick — who was then Casey’s GOP challenger — as a carpetbagger from Connecticut. — David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 11 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for openly

Adverb

Seven years of a freely available offshore yuan token, from the issuer of the most successful stablecoin in history, found three million dollars of demand, against a dollar-stablecoin market the ECB puts at 99% of all supply.

— Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
But Oleh’s transition did more or less coincide with the Russian invasion, which has severely hindered his ability to live freely and openly at a time when men are expected to serve their country in the armed forces.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 8 Aug. 2026

Definition of freely

Adverb

Colquitt sincerely believes that her work can restore the dignity too often denied people in their last days.

— John Semley, Harpers Magazine, 28 July 2026
But the results and the action on the field were second to the experience for Baldwin, who was sincerely present in the moment during the two days of All-Star Game activities.

— Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 15 July 2026