no-frills

adjective

ˈnō-ˈfrilz 

: offering or providing only the essentials : not fancy, elaborate, or luxurious

a no-frills airline

Synonyms of no-frills

• spartan
• simple
• austere

Examples of no-frills in a Sentence

a low-cost, no-frills vacation during which we camped out and cooked our own meals

Recent Examples on the Web

Carnegie Hall seats well over 3,000 people, but this intense, no-frills performance film gives life to the old saying about feeling alone in a crowd. — Damon Wise, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026

The shoes’ low-profile, no-frills silhouette is reminiscent of far pricier brands on the market (cough, cough, The Row). — Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 12 Oct. 2026

Tushy Fresh Dual-Nozzle Bidet Offering easy installation, this bidet with a no-frills interface has some relaxing perks (including a heated water option) without too many extra knobs and levers. — Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 8 Oct. 2026

That helps reinforce hair’s internal structure so strands are stronger and less prone to breakage—and beyond that, the four-ingredient formula is no-frills. — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 6 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1948, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for no-frills

• bluegills
• brazils
• distills
• distils
• foothills
• fulfills
• fulfils
• handbills
• instills
• landfills
• refills
• sandhills