1
as in simple
free from all additions or embellishment
I like my hamburgers plain, with no ketchup or relish just give us the plain facts and none of your snide comments
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pure
free from added matter
I'd prefer my pasta plain, not flavored with tomato or spinach or anything else
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in outspoken
free in expressing one's true feelings and opinions
their piano teacher is honest and plain, if not always tactful
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in straightforward
going straight to the point clearly and firmly
a plain report on the current situation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in obvious
not subject to misinterpretation or more than one interpretation
let me make my meaning plain
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in openly
in an honest and direct manner
told her plain that he loved her
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in prairie
a broad area of level or rolling treeless country
the first settlers in that area lived on the vast plains in lonely log cabins
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in expanse
a wide space or area
the vast plains of snow-covered earth that seemed to stretch endlessly
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of plain
Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 11 May 2026
The resulting material has mechanical properties similar to those of plain PCL films.
—New Atlas, 11 May 2026
Sara Holdren, Vulture, 23 Apr. 2026
Young Michael may have seemed strange, or just plain different, to kids his own age, but what about the adult Michael, whose professional life took him outside the family orbit and into offices, studios, and night clubs?
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 23 Apr. 2026
Olivia Wakim, AJC.com, 10 May 2026
Once bountiful on the American plains, the animal was nearly hunted into extinction by the 1890s.
—Christopher Edwards, PEOPLE, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for plain
Adjective
In the latest request, Virginia argues that the state Supreme Court misread federal election law and also rejected the plain text of the state constitution’s definition of an election when blocking the new map.
—Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 11 May 2026
The resulting material has mechanical properties similar to those of plain PCL films.
—New Atlas, 11 May 2026
Adverb
There’s an almost-friendship-ending rift over husbands (Brent Thiessen is Cee Cee’s, a cool-guy theater director; Ben Jacoby is Bertie’s, a rich jerk) that feels deeply dated and, in the context of the women’s tell-each-other-everything friendship, just plain weird.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 23 Apr. 2026
Young Michael may have seemed strange, or just plain different, to kids his own age, but what about the adult Michael, whose professional life took him outside the family orbit and into offices, studios, and night clubs?
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 23 Apr. 2026
Noun
In the blueberry capital of Georgia, where flat coastal plains stretch out on either side of the road, there’s a good chance travelers will drive past fields of bushy blueberry crops growing in long, monotonous rows.
—Olivia Wakim, AJC.com, 10 May 2026
Once bountiful on the American plains, the animal was nearly hunted into extinction by the 1890s.
—Christopher Edwards, PEOPLE, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for plain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plain
Adjective
-
The useful answer may be simpler than expected once the real priority becomes obvious.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
14 May 2026
-
The decor with sheepskin rugs and arm lamps for reading lights is neither flashy nor overtly quirky, but simple and homey, as if it were designed by a tasteful Scandinavian grandmother who relocated to the wilds of Patagonia.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
Recently, marinated, raw tuna cubes sat on top of a creamy hazelnut and bean pure while a fatty pork jowl was balanced by a tart salsa verde and sprigs of purslane.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 May 2026
-
The only risk to consider here is Seattle’s pure dominance at home.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
Adjective
-
Rex Reed, the prominent and outspoken film critic and journalist known for his longtime column in The New York Observer, died Tuesday.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
12 May 2026
-
Call it another twist in the story of an accidental heartthrob turned self-effacing star — or simply the irony of teller and tale — but despite his discomfort with visibility, Arlaud has become one of the most outspoken left-wing voices in contemporary French cinema.—
Ben Croll,
IndieWire,
12 May 2026
Adjective
-
Ahead of this week's PGA Championship, where DeChambeau is among the favorites at Aronimink Golf Club, 2002 PGA Championship winner Rich Beem was asked the simple yet not-so-straightforward question about the Tour's potential need for a DeChambeau return.—
Mark Harris OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
13 May 2026
-
Now, that might all sound like just common sense and relatively straightforward to achieve.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
The old gunslinger makes the most of an AFC without an obvious favorite and rides off after one last trip into the playoffs, this one coming with a postseason win.—
Mike DeFabo,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
-
Neural activation and event consolidation seem too bureaucratic, even obvious.—
Deborah Treisman,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
Adverb
-
What is striking about this moment is that America is not merely acknowledging the Jewish roots of some of its values historically, but openly turning again to a distinctly Jewish practice as a possible source of wisdom for the present.—
Ari Berman,
New York Daily News,
15 May 2026
-
The controversy also took a turn after the discovery of a March 2026 interview with outlet El Nuevo Día in which Díaz openly discussed his family’s involvement in the underground circuit.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
And in turn, the 867-foot monolith protruding from the surrounding Wyoming prairie like the stump of the world’s largest tree became a big draw for tourists.—
Marnie Hunter,
CNN Money,
14 May 2026
-
The annual Belwin Bison Festival celebrates the release of the NorthStar Bison herd back onto the prairies at Belwin Conservancy.—
Jared Kaufman,
Twin Cities,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
All have king beds and floor-to-ceiling windows that open either toward the skyline or the green expanse of Chapultepec.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 May 2026
-
Up close, the vast expanse of the human skin resembles an unknown landscape, maybe similar to the lunar terrain, with craters and elevations in the form of minuscule blemishes, hairs, and cutaneous eruptions.—
Carlos Aguilar,
IndieWire,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plain. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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