Frankly vs Going to be honest

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Frankly

Top 2,000 (common) C1 adverb

Going to be honest

Top 2,000 (common)

	Frankly	Going to be honest
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/ˈfræŋkli/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈfræŋkli/"]/	🇬🇧 //ˈɡəʊɪŋ tə bi ˈɒnɪst// 🇺🇸 //ˈɡoʊɪŋ tə bi ˈɑːnəst//
Meaning	Honestly or directly.	I will tell the truth.
Example	He spoke frankly about the ordeal.	Going to be honest, I didn't enjoy the movie.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 2,000 (common)	Top 2,000 (common)
CEFR level	C1	-
Part of speech	adverb
Collocations	speak frankly, frankly speaking, respond frankly	going to be honest with you, going to be completely honest, going to be honest about
Antonyms	deceptively, insincerely, dishonestly	-
Common mistakes	Used in questions when it should be a statement., Confused with 'frank' as an adjective., Overused in casual settings.	Using it in overly formal contexts., Misplacing the phrase in sentences., Confusing it with similar expressions.
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.	Use in informal conversations to express sincerity or straightforwardness. Avoid in very formal situations.

See it in real clips

We're tight but frankly, there's a lot of windows up here.

Frankly, I don't see how you can vote for acquittal.

Sherlock › S1 E1

- No. No, he wasn't, really, was he? - Frankly, a bloody awful cabbie.

We're tight but frankly, there's a lot of windows up here.

Frankly, I don't see how you can vote for acquittal.

Frankly

I'm going to be honest ...

Going to be honest

Frequently asked questions: Frankly vs Going to be honest

What's the difference between Frankly and Going to be honest?

Frankly: Honestly or directly. Going to be honest: I will tell the truth.

Can you show an example of each?

Frankly: He spoke frankly about the ordeal. Going to be honest: Going to be honest, I didn't enjoy the movie.

Can I use Frankly and Going to be honest interchangeably?

Not always. Frankly and Going 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.