baldly
/'bɔ:ldli/
Definition
- Adverb:
- In a plain, direct, and uncompromising manner; without any attempt to soften or disguise the truth. The word describes how something is said or presented, emphasizing bluntness and a lack of ornamentation or euphemism.
Usage
- Baldly is used to modify verbs of speaking or stating (e.g., ). It signals that the following statement is intentionally straightforward, frank, and potentially harsh or stark, with no effort to make it more palatable.
- It often appears in the phrase "to put it baldly", which is a common introductory clause before delivering a blunt opinion or fact.
Examples
- To put it baldly, the proposal is unworkable.
Advanced Usage
- "to put it baldly": used to introduce a statement that is deliberately blunt.
- His performance was, to put it baldly, a disaster.
- "state/declare baldly": to say something in a very direct, unadorned way.
- The spokesperson stated baldly that there would be no further negotiations.
Variants and Related Words
- Bald (adj): having little or no hair; plain, undisguised.
- A bald statement of the facts.
- Baldness (n): the state of being bald; plainness or starkness.
- The baldness of his confession was shocking.
Synonyms
- Bluntly: saying something in a direct and honest way that may seem rude.
- Plainly: in a clear and straightforward manner.
- Frankly: in an open, honest, and direct manner.
- Candidly: in a truthful and straightforward way.
- Directly: without intervening factors or intermediaries; in a straightforward way.
Antonyms
- Euphemistically: using mild or indirect words to avoid being offensive.
- Indirectly: not in a direct way; obliquely.
- Evasively: in a way that avoids giving a clear or direct answer.
Related Phrases
- In plain terms: using simple, clear language.
- Without mincing words: speaking directly without trying to be polite or tactful.
Adverb
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in a bald manner
-
this book is, to put it baldly, an uneven work.
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