frankly

The word “frankly” means speaking honestly and directly, without holding back. In plain terms, used to signal you're about to say something honestly, even if it's blunt.

“Frankly” is pronounced FRANGK-lee (/ˈfɹæŋkli/ in IPA).

Here is “frankly” used in a sentence: “Frankly, I think the meeting was a waste of time.”

“Frankly” is an adverb.

“Frankly” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

“Frankly” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: speaking honestly and directly, without holding back.

Both tell the listener you are being truthful, but "frankly" stresses directness and warns that something blunt or unwelcome is coming, while "honestly" simply stresses sincerity. "Honestly" is also common as an exclamation of exasperation ("Honestly! Not again"), a use "frankly" does not have.

Yes. When "frankly" opens a sentence as a comment on the whole statement, it is a sentence adverb and takes a comma: "Frankly, I don't see the point." No comma is needed when it modifies the verb directly, as in "She spoke frankly about her illness."

"Frankly" is not rude in itself, but it signals that a blunt or critical opinion is coming, so it can sound confrontational if overused. In sensitive situations, softer openers such as "to be honest" or "in my view" deliver the same honesty with less edge.

Yes. "Frankly speaking" is a correct sentence opener meaning "to speak honestly and directly": "Frankly speaking, the results were disappointing." Native speakers more often shorten it to "frankly" or use "to be frank"; all three signal that an unvarnished opinion follows.