blunt honesty
1
3.9
- noun
- /blʌnt ˈɑːnəsti/
:
honestidad brutal
- This wasn't the time for his usual blunt honesty.
Examples
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While some prefer to be diplomatic, I value blunt honesty, even if it can hurt feelings at times.
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Well, I appreciate your blunt honesty, but I don't do magic anymore.
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In one of his final appearances, Carlin brutally lashed out with a torrent of truth, only spoken by courageous people not worried about the consequences of their blunt honesty:
Blog text (10) -
During the meeting, her blunt honesty surprised everyone, as she openly criticized the project's shortcomings.
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His blunt honesty about the team's failures motivated them to work harder and improve.
Synonyms
365
1.0
Being truthful and fair in what you say and do
42
5.7
Being open and honest when talking or behaving
13
2.7
Being honest and not telling lies
7
3.5
Open and honest talk that says exactly what you think
6
4.8
A direct and honest way of speaking that can seem rude
6
3.4
Honest, clear words and actions that say exactly what you mean
3
6.6
A way of speaking that is honest and direct
2
6.3
Saying your thoughts and feelings freely, often in a direct way
1
4.1
Openly honest and saying facts people hide
1
5.0
Being direct and honest without hiding what you think
1
5.1
An honest and open way of speaking or acting
To be direct and blunt when saying the truth
Very direct and truthful speech that does not soften the facts
An open and direct way of speaking or acting
Being direct and honest in a friendly, warm way
Being truthful and fair in what you say and do
How Direct
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly derivable from the constituents: 'blunt' (direct, possibly harsh) modifies 'honesty' (truthfulness), yielding 'direct or harsh truthfulness.' This adjective+noun compositional pattern is common and cross-linguistically accessible, so a B1 learner who knows both words would very likely understand the phrase.
Etymology
Blunt honesty comes from a simple image: blunt means 'not sharp', like a dull knife, and honesty means 'telling the truth'. Someone with blunt honesty gives the truth in a very 'direct' way without softening it, which is why it can feel harsh.