Meaning & use
frank
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Meanings
adjectivecomparableapproving
Willing to say plainly what you think or know, even if the listener may not like it.
Grammar: Can follow a linking verb or come before a noun: she is frank; a frank answer.
Patterns
- be frank with someone
- frank about something
Her doctor was frank about the risks of the operation.
To be frank, I did not enjoy the movie very much.
We had a frank talk about money before signing the lease.
verbtransitivespecialist
To mark a letter or parcel with an official stamp or machine mark to show that postage has been paid or is not needed.
Grammar: Takes an object: frank the envelope.
Patterns
- frank something
The clerk franked each envelope before the evening collection.
The office has a machine to frank all outgoing letters.
Senators may frank their mail to constituents.
adjectivebefore a nounformal
Plainly visible and not hidden, used for feelings or attitudes that someone openly shows.
Grammar: Typically in phrases like frank curiosity or frank admiration.
Patterns
- a frank stare
- frank admiration
She looked at the painting with frank admiration.
His frank disbelief was plain to everyone at the table.
The guard gave us a frank stare as we crossed the lobby.
Word forms
| comparative | franker |
|---|---|
| superlative | frankest |
| third person singular | franks |
| past tense | franked |
| -ing form | franking |
Common combinations
- to be frank
- To be frank, the plan will cost more than we can afford.
- frank discussion
- The two leaders held a frank discussion about trade.
- frank opinion
- I would like your frank opinion on my essay.
- frank admission
- His frank admission of the error won him respect.
- perfectly frank
- Let me be perfectly frank with you about the schedule.
- frank exchange
- After a frank exchange of views, they agreed to continue the talks.
Synonyms and how they differ
- candid
- Candid stresses honesty that is free from pretense, and is nearly equal to frank but slightly more formal.
- blunt
- Blunt suggests honesty with little care for feelings, so it is harsher than frank.
- forthright
- Forthright describes someone who speaks directly and without delay, and sounds more admiring and formal.
- outspoken
- Outspoken means saying what you think openly, often about controversial subjects, while frank is about truthfulness in a given moment.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: frank or Frank? frank or franc?
frank vs Frank
Frank with a capital letter is a man's name; the adjective is written with a small f.
frank vs franc
A franc is a unit of money formerly used in France and other countries; it sounds the same as frank but is spelled differently.
Practice
I appreciate that you were ______ with me about my chances, even though it was hard to hear.
Choose one answer.
Frank means honest and direct. Frantic means wildly anxious, and fragile and fertile do not describe a way of speaking.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “frank”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.