forthright

Straightforward; not evasive; candid and direct.

Adjective

  1. Straightforward; not evasive; candid and direct.
    • The witness was considered eminently credible thanks to her forthright answers.

    Synonyms: out-front

  2. Frank, outspoken.
    • TSSA General Secretary Manuel Cortes was typically forthright in his criticism by claiming that Sunak had "blatantly failed" to cure "a growing tragedy", as "every single day, more and more families can't make ends...
  3. Markedly simple.
  4. Fixed; settled; decided.
  5. Proceeding straight forth.

Origin

From Middle English forþright, forþriʒt, forþriht, from Old English forþriht (“direct, plain”). By surface analysis, forth + right.

Forms

more forthright most forthright

Derived

forthrightly forthrightness unforthright

Adverb

  1. Expressly, frankly, unhesitatingly.
  2. At once, forthwith.
  3. Swiftly.
  4. Straight forward, in a straight direction.

Origin

From Middle English forthright, forþriʒt, forthricte, from Old English forþrihte (“straightway, at once, plainly”), from forþriht + -e (“adverbial suffix”). By surface analysis, forth + right.

Forms

more forthright most forthright

Noun

  1. A straight path.
    • Gonzalo: […]Here's a maze trod indeed / Through forth-rights and meanders ! - 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio),...

Forms

forthrights