plain-vanilla

adjective

plain-va·​nil·​la
: lacking special features or qualities : basic

Examples of plain-vanilla in a Sentence

we decided to buy the plain-vanilla model because we don't have a lot of money to spend on extras
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That belief leads to a lot of money wasted on plain-vanilla surveys, irritating dinnertime interrupting spam calls, and ends with long-winded market research reports replete with cross-tabulations and PowerPoint presentations. Chip Bell, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025 Your dingy, plain-vanilla concrete drive can be transformed to a stunning art piece by installing a thin cement stucco coating. Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 2 Aug. 2025 As a FactSet researcher told The Wall Street Journal, a more efficient, though less satisfying, way to virtue-signal would be to buy a plain-vanilla index fund and donate the investment gains to a political cause. semafor.com, 8 July 2025 Replacing the plain-vanilla look of the previous iteration, Alfa G’s black hull with a signature red stripe and white superstructure complete this remarkable conversion. Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 10 June 2025 While the Federal Reserve began dialing back interest rates last fall, investors spent much of 2024 enjoying attractive yields on a range of plain-vanilla savings products. Darla Mercado, Cfp®, CNBC, 28 Jan. 2025 Even plain-vanilla index funds like the InfraCap MLP ETF (AMZA) deal with dividend declines; unlike traditional companies that will maintain a specific dividend level, MLPs’ distributions tend to shift with their profits. Brett Owens, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024 The resolution was a plain-vanilla environmental proposal urging the company to work harder to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of its products and to be more transparent about the impact of its business on the climate. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1959, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of plain-vanilla was in 1959

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Plain-vanilla.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plain-vanilla. Accessed 5 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!