outspoken

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˌaʊtˈspoʊkən/ UK /ˌaʊtˈspəʊkən/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
frank and direct in expressing one's opinions, even when controversial

She was an outspoken critic of the new policy.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · frank and direct in... frank candid forthright blunt direct vocalplainspokenunreserved

Opposites

reticent reserved taciturn guarded diplomatic

Word family

Derived forms outspokenlyoutspokenness

Related forms speakoutspeak

Etymology

From out- ('openly, freely') plus spoken, the past participle of speak. Originally meaning 'spoken out, said openly,' then applied to a person disposed to speak openly.

ūt Old English sprecan Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# outspoken

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˌaʊtˈspoʊkən/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌaʊtˈspəʊkən/

## Meanings
1. frank and direct in expressing one's opinions, even when controversial

## Examples
- She was an outspoken critic of the new policy.

## Synonyms
- frank
- candid
- forthright
- blunt
- direct
- vocal
- plainspoken
- unreserved

## Antonyms
- reticent
- reserved
- taciturn
- guarded
- diplomatic

## Derived Forms
- outspokenly
- outspokenness

## Related Forms
- speak
- outspeak

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: ūt
- Root: sprecan

## Etymology
From out- ('openly, freely') plus spoken, the past participle of speak. Originally meaning 'spoken out, said openly,' then applied to a person disposed to speak openly.

## AI Etymology
Outspoken comes from out- ('openly, freely') plus spoken, the past participle of speak. Originally meaning 'spoken out, said openly,' then applied to a person disposed to speak openly. The etymological trail includes Old English ūt and Old English sprecan. As an adjective, outspoken means frank and direct in expressing one's opinions, even when controversial. The same family is visible in derived forms such as outspokenly and outspokenness and related forms such as speak and outspeak.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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