How to Use plain in a Sentence

plain

1 of 4 adjective

• What he said is a lie, plain and simple.
• It was a plain room with no curtains.
• She was wearing plain black shoes.
• He printed the picture on plain paper.
• You don't have to call me Mr. Johnson—just plain Fred will be fine.
• Here is the idea in plain terms.
  — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 6 Apr. 2026
• The plain truth is, trains are hard.
  — Chelsea Haney october 25, New Atlas, 25 Oct. 2025
• Black all on its own can read as too plain.
  — Sarah Lyon, Southern Living, 27 Aug. 2025
• Not in law speak, not in cop speak, in plain speak.
  — Monroe Trombly, Louisville Courier Journal, 16 Sep. 2025
• And then share it in plain language.
  — Sarah Stockdale, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
• What does this mean in plain language?
  — Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026
• Going there is just plain fun, too.
  — John Wenzel, Denver Post, 7 Jan. 2026
• This is my dream job, plain and simple.
  — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 June 2026
• Try to stick to plain dark chocolate.
  — Sherri Gordon, Health, 21 Jan. 2026
• Use the plain truth to deepen trust fast.
  — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 9 Feb. 2026
• His call for unity is plain hypocrisy!
  — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 28 Apr. 2026
• Mop again with plain warm water to clear it up.
  — Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 17 Jan. 2026
• Mop again with plain warm water to clear it up.
  — Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 26 Sep. 2025
• The chairs were plain and cane-bottomed.
  — Josh Ireland, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
• What's better than plain mac and cheese?
  — Patricia S York, Southern Living, 18 June 2026
• The goats prefer their trees plain.
  — Noel Brennan, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
• Choose plain words to move talks forward.
  — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 23 Mar. 2026
• Cool, plain water works just as well.
  — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 3 May 2026
• The scoop for rice was stored in plain water.
  — Sacbee.com, 31 Oct. 2025
• Write a one-page deal brief in plain language.
  — Lien De Pau, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
• Food is life and health, plain and simple.
  — Michael Farver, Sun Sentinel, 14 June 2026
• Rinse the area with plain water and blot again.
  — Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 3 Jan. 2026
• But the big keyhole was plain, oiled, in use.
  — Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2025
• The fact of the matter is that this just plain sucks.
  — Literary Hub, 13 Mar. 2026
• Wet the brick with a sponge dipped in plain water first.
  — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 5 Oct. 2025

plain

2 of 4 noun

• Capote set off for the high plains.
  — Patrick Radden Keefe, New Yorker, 11 Jan. 2026
• Then a lion’s roar broke across the plain.
  — Daniel Scheffler, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
• The plain is marked by hills, rivers and small lakes and tundra.
  — Bybecky Bohrer, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2023
• On the coast, there is a swampy coastal plain with mangrove swamps.
  — Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
• The plain is marked by hills, rivers, and small lakes and tundra.
  — Becky Bohrer and Matthew Daly, The Christian Science Monitor, 7 Sep. 2023
• The sky lay pure and blue and a cool dry wind hissed down upon them from the plains.
  — Literary Hub, 8 July 2026
• Keep this plain for a low-carb snack, or add dried fruits for some carbs and sweetness.
  — Merve Ceylan, Health, 25 Sep. 2025
• In the later image, fresh lava had spewed to form a new plain.
  — Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Feb. 2024
• This large winter storm will take shape over the southern plains later this week.
  — Tammie Souza, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026
• The terrain is mountainous, a mix of desert and semidesert plains.
  — ABC News, 3 May 2026
• Black volcanic plains stretch to the horizon, broken by steam vents and bright green moss.
  — David Nikel, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2025
• This 70-million-year-old predator didn’t stalk herds on the plains.
  — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 28 May 2026
• In the middle distance, sandstorms churn across the plain.
  — Rowan Jacobsen, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
• There were about 50 of them and they were strung out over a wide, grassy plain near a water hole.
  — Jack O'Connor, Outdoor Life, 8 July 2026
• But try to sample at least one crawfish plain to taste the mild, almost sweet meat on its own.
  — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2026
• The spacecraft will soar over craters and plains and may be able to spot dust features and lava flows.
  — Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 14 May 2026
• The commissioners’ vote will make that plain.
  — Randy Linville, Baltimore Sun, 18 Mar. 2026
• What were the refineries doing there in the midst of the urban plain in the first place?
  — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026
• Out on the open plains, everything shifted.
  — Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 23 Dec. 2025
• Wind chills on the plains could go as low as 22 degrees below zero.
  — John Aguilar, Denver Post, 23 Jan. 2026
• The bison roam the plains, so take caution when driving, and do not approach them.
  — Amanda Ogle, Travel + Leisure, 3 June 2023
• Right now, moisture looks limited for the plains, with only a low chance for rain.
  — Callie Zanandrie, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026
• The terrain is mountainous, a mix of desert and semi-desert plains.
  — Ope Adetayo, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2026
• The average length is about three feet, and it is found in the grassy plains of the western third of the state.
  — Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 6 July 2026
• His youth was spent picking cotton in the surrounding plains.
  — Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 29 June 2026
• Gentle plains of swaying grass, trickling streams, and the show’s logo flash across the screen.
  — Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 13 Dec. 2025
• The largest risk looms on the northeastern plains, forecasters said.
  — Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 7 June 2026
• All occur statewide, or at least in each of our main regions — mountain, piedmont, and coastal plain.
  — Miri Talabac, baltimoresun.com, 27 Jan. 2022
• Desire, which has been his guide during the hours of riding on horseback across the plains, leaves him no peace.
  — Literary Hub, 6 Feb. 2026
• The image also captures lowland plains to the right and highland plains to the left.
  — Stefanie Waldek, Space.com, 11 Aug. 2025

plain

3 of 4 adverb

• Try it plain if that’s your jam.
  — Josh Miller, Southern Living, 25 Jan. 2026
• Some of it just plain blows the mind.
  — Nick Tzitzon, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2025
• The Leafs could just be plain old bad for a while.
  — Jonas Siegel, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2026
• Plus, topped trees just plain look ugly!
  — Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 22 Feb. 2026
• But that doesn’t stop it from being just plain cool.
  — Tj MacIas, Kansas City Star, 13 Oct. 2025
• High, low, or just plain weird, each received equal love.
  — Literary Hub, 16 Dec. 2025
• In the kitchen, as in life, so much is just about the plain old nuts and bolts.
  — Yotam Ottolenghi, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2023
• This is Sunday’s box score, plain as day.
  — Grant Brisbee, New York Times, 15 June 2026
• In some spots, the history is just plain wrong.
  — Kelsey Ables, The Atlantic, 26 June 2026
• Joséphine wore a plain white gown evocative of a wedding dress.
  — Nathan Smith, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Nov. 2023
• That, too, is pentameter, plain as plain can be.
  — Alex Abramovich, New Yorker, 26 Dec. 2025
• To me that’s not a rewrite job — that’s just plain lying.
  — Bea L. Hines, Miami Herald, 4 June 2026
• Same story with a lot of our old tech that felt too slow, too cramped, or just plain dull.
  — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 13 Mar. 2026
• Reynolds looked cool in a dusty-green button-up layered over a plain white tee.
  — Rosa Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 8 Sep. 2023
• Just stir and a plain-old cup of joe becomes a heavenly mocha.
  — Jessica Cherner, House Beautiful, 11 Nov. 2022
• Reclining your chair on flights under three hours is just plain rude.
  — Raven Smith, Vogue, 27 Nov. 2025
• This three-pack of pure silk scrunchies protects hair from damage — and looks just plain cute, too.
  — Alesandra Dubin, Woman's Day, 27 Dec. 2022
• This adorable novelty pillow is one of those things that’s just plain fun.
  — Samantha Booth, Rolling Stone, 21 Nov. 2023
• Benito wore a plain white tee, a brown jacket, black pants, and tan shoes.
  — Briannah Rivera, Seventeen, 2 May 2023
• This sort of punk kid with an almost plain-sounding voice trying to just go for it.
  — Alison Weinflash, Rolling Stone, 18 Feb. 2026
• The place is that original, fresh, inviting and plain good.
  — Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 16 Sep. 2025
• Grilling a green bean is just plain awesome, and the idea of the sauce is a crowning moment.
  — Fred Thompson, Charlotte Observer, 30 Jan. 2024
• One pair will come in a plain white colorway while the other will be a brown and white cow print.
  — Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 5 Feb. 2024
• The design is simple and plain-looking.
  — Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 30 Mar. 2026
• Tuck a plain white pocket square into the breast pocket for a monotone look.
  — Brad Lanphear, Men's Health, 19 Aug. 2023
• Pair 'em up with your favorite high-tops to add '80s flair to a plain white sneaker.
  — Kelsey Stiegman, Seventeen, 14 July 2023
• Just plain ol’ regular folks ruling the world.
  — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2025
• Tried scooting back to the rear of the seat, but then pedaling was plain awkward.
  — Scott Kramer, Forbes, 2 Apr. 2023
• In recent years, students have gotten a lot worse about just plain showing up.
  — Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 21 Feb. 2023
• The character of Thomasin was described in the script as plain-faced.
  — Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 17 June 2026

plain

4 of 4 verb

• Southern areas of the state will at least turn to a wintry mix if not over to plain rain.
  — Hartford Courant, 26 Feb. 2023
• Stick to plain, black-and-white paper, which uses soy- or water-based ink, a much safer choice.
  — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 June 2025
• But there aren’t enough wires stretching from the state’s windy eastern plains to the mesa-top community.
  — WIRED, 27 Feb. 2023
• While most places see snow at the onset, coastal areas likely mix with and changeover to plain rain overnight into Tuesday AM.
  — Hartford Courant, 26 Feb. 2023
• Moroney’s third album should transform the Georgia singer-songwriter from star-in-the-making to plain old megastar.
  — Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 20 Feb. 2026
• Other Olympians might need to stick to plain food, such as rice and eggs or smoothies, for example, to make sure their gut isn’t bothered on competition day.
  — Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 11 Feb. 2026
• Whereas his first billions were owed to plain, functional, durable clothing at minimal cost, today Uniqlo has moved up the value chain.
  — Time, 13 Nov. 2023
• People start dying around Delia, but the bloodless kill scenes are so toned down for TV that two of her victims just succumb to plain old heart attacks.
  — Josh Bell, Vulture, 5 Apr. 2024
• Stick to plain greek yogurt, which contains less carbohydrates, and try adding a handful of berries or chia seeds and a splash of unsweetened almond milk for a better keto-friendly dessert.
  — Zee Krstic, Good Housekeeping, 23 June 2020
• Simply add the Montreal Steak Seasoning of your choice to plain asparagus or your go-to existing asparagus recipe.
  — Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 19 June 2025
• Simply add the Montreal Steak Seasoning of your choice to plain asparagus or your go-to existing asparagus recipe.
  — Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 21 Apr. 2021
• Cruz spins these operations into digital content ranging from tips for aspiring investors to plain old-fashioned yacht-flaunting braggadocio.
  — Michael Friedrich, New York Times, 18 Oct. 2023
• And cool-girl of the moment, Dakota Johnson, said bye to plain white sneakers, instead replacing them with a vastly underrated style that’s going to blow up this year.
  — Eva Thomas, InStyle, 19 Feb. 2026
• And cool-girl of the moment, Dakota Johnson, said bye to plain white sneakers, instead replacing them with a vastly underrated style that’s going to blow up this year.
  — Eva Thomas, InStyle, 4 Feb. 2026
• And cool-girl of the moment, Dakota Johnson, said bye to plain white sneakers, instead replacing them with a vastly underrated style that’s going to blow up this year.
  — Eva Thomas, InStyle, 7 Jan. 2026
• And cool-girl of the moment, Dakota Johnson, said bye to plain white sneakers, instead replacing them with a vastly underrated style that’s already blowing up this year.
  — Eva Thomas, InStyle, 12 Apr. 2026
• The storm is part of a system of showers and thunderstorms moving east across the northeastern plains through the early evening, according to a social media post from NWS Boulder.
  — Julie Vossler-Henderson, Denver Post, 15 May 2025
• Someone had better put Tiff’s Treats on alert because there’s a new cook in town churning out everything from Cookie Monster cookies to plain sugar cookies to Carlton’s personal favorite — a brown butter, salted caramel snickerdoodle.
  — Kirk Bohls, Houston Chronicle, 1 Feb. 2026