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

One product that’s crucial to that philosophy is Illiyoon’s Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream, a no-frills K-beauty moisturizer that’s been purchased on Amazon more than 10,000 times in the past month alone. — Annie Blackman, InStyle, 8 Aug. 2026

Emerging in the post–World War II decades, these no-frills cafés blend Cantonese tastes with Western influences, creating a cuisine that exists nowhere else. — Mimi Thorisson, Travel + Leisure, 4 Aug. 2026

Refreshingly no-frills, there's enough room to hang in the cockpit, a small bathroom onboard (nothing fancy, but completely functional), and some space to move around, take in the views, and enjoy the ride. — Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Aug. 2026

Multiple locations Jeremy Mallard and LaSonya Morrow started operating Helen’s, named for Mallard’s grandmother, in 2008 out of a no-frills trailer on Rosa Parks Boulevard. — Ellen Fort, Bon Appetit Magazine, 31 July 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