as in spartan
providing only the essentials and nothing fancy or luxurious
a low-cost, no-frills vacation during which we camped out and cooked our own meals
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Recent Examples of no-frills
Open since 1984, the no-frills seafood shack is all about delivering the freshest seafood in a friendly, neighborhood environment.
—
Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 12 Mar. 2026
Most ski-touring lodges are no-frills huts that cater to hardy mountaineers who’d balk at the idea of taking a gondola or a lift.
—Jen Murphy, Robb Report, 8 Mar. 2026
Owner António Silva, 66, has been running his no-frills charcoal-grill shop for four decades, but his newfound fame started after he was praised online by a Chinese influencer.
—Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 7 Mar. 2026
The restaurant is a no-frills affair, a vacuous space with fluorescent lights and vinyl flooring.
—Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for no-frills
Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 12 Mar. 2026
Most ski-touring lodges are no-frills huts that cater to hardy mountaineers who’d balk at the idea of taking a gondola or a lift.
—Jen Murphy, Robb Report, 8 Mar. 2026
Owner António Silva, 66, has been running his no-frills charcoal-grill shop for four decades, but his newfound fame started after he was praised online by a Chinese influencer.
—Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 7 Mar. 2026
The restaurant is a no-frills affair, a vacuous space with fluorescent lights and vinyl flooring.
—Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for no-frills
Recent Examples of Synonyms for no-frills
Adjective
-
The modern extension in the rear of the 19th-century main villa is an elegantly spartan affair that somehow complements the 19th-century edifice and brings in the surrounding foliage.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Mar. 2026
-
His solution is to hide technology behind spartan interfaces.—
Diana Budds,
Architectural Digest,
3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The rooms Hotel Thaynes has 128 guest rooms, including six king suites, each designed for simple mountain stays with subtle pops of colors.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
19 Mar. 2026
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Such a vote — which is bound to fail but would put senators on the record — differs from using a simple majority to change the Senate rules, a vote a senator could force after an unsuccessful vote to break a filibuster.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
But that didn’t stop him from restoring and designing buildings in the austere visual language that defined his artistic practice.—
Mark Lamster,
Dallas Morning News,
17 Mar. 2026
-
The armature around the scenes—cameras and mikes and props, along with the people who operate and manage them—adds to the austere, theatrical atmosphere.—
Naomi Fry,
New Yorker,
14 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“No-frills.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/no-frills. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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