Openly means doing something in a way that everyone can see or know about, without hiding or being secretive. When you speak openly about your feelings, you share them honestly instead of keeping them bottled up inside. When a store operates openly, it does business where anyone can walk in and see what's happening.

The word captures a quality of transparency and honesty. A scientist who shares her research openly publishes her findings for everyone to read and verify, rather than keeping them secret. A government that operates openly lets citizens know how decisions are made. When friends talk openly with each other, they say what they really think instead of hiding behind polite half-truths.

Openly sometimes takes courage, since being open can mean accepting criticism or disagreement. A student who openly admits a mistake takes responsibility instead of covering it up. Someone who openly disagrees with a popular opinion risks being unpopular but stays true to what they believe.

The opposite would be secretly, privately, or deceptively. When you do something openly, you're willing to stand behind it and let others see what you're doing.