Cool MateFrankly vs Honestly vs To be honest
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Frankly
Top 2,000 (common)C1adverb
Honestly
Top 1,000 (very common)
To be honest
InformalTop 2,000 (common)
Most common: Honestly
| Frankly | Honestly | To be honest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈfræŋkli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈfræŋkli/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ˈɒnɪstli//🇺🇸 //ˈɑnɪstli// | 🇬🇧 //tə biː ˈɒnɪst//🇺🇸 //tə bi ˈhɑnəst// |
| Meaning | Honestly or directly. | In a truthful way. | Saying the truth or what you really think. |
| Example | He spoke frankly about the ordeal. | Honestly, I didn't know what to say. | To be honest, I didn’t really enjoy the movie. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral | Informal |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | C1 | - | - |
| Part of speech | adverb | ||
| Collocations | speak frankly, frankly speaking, respond frankly | speak honestly, honestly admit, honestly say | to be honest with you, to be honest, I think, to be honest about |
| Antonyms | deceptively, insincerely, dishonestly | dishonestly, insincerely | - |
| Common mistakes | Used in questions when it should be a statement., Confused with 'frank' as an adjective., Overused in casual settings. | Confused with 'honestly speaking'—don't overuse it., Using it in overly formal contexts can sound odd., Sometimes placed incorrectly in a sentence. | Using it too frequently can sound disingenuous., Confusing it with more formal phrases like 'frankly speaking'. |
| Usage notes | Use 'frankly' when you want to express your honest opinion. It's often used in more serious conversations and might be considered too direct for very formal contexts. | Used to emphasize truthfulness, often at the beginning of a sentence. Suitable in both casual and formal contexts. | Use 'to be honest' to express your true feelings. It's informal and often used in conversations, but avoid in formal settings. |
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Frequently asked questions: Frankly vs Honestly vs To be honest
What's the difference between Frankly, Honestly, and To be honest?
Frankly: Honestly or directly. Honestly: In a truthful way. To be honest: Saying the truth or what you really think.
Which is more common: Frankly, Honestly, and To be honest?
Honestly is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Frankly: He spoke frankly about the ordeal. Honestly: Honestly, I didn't know what to say. To be honest: To be honest, I didn’t really enjoy the movie.
Can I use Frankly, Honestly, and To be honest interchangeably?
Not always. Frankly, Honestly, and To be honest are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.