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
The restaurant has served presidents, celebrities and generations of locals, all drawn by its straightforward, no-frills approach to Kansas City barbecue.
—
Taylor Haught, Kansas City Star, 1 May 2026
Most evenings, Mohamed Ismail would sit at his local ‘ahwa, one of the small, no-frills coffee shops that are the cornerstone of social life in Cairo.
—Mirette Magdy, Bloomberg, 27 Apr. 2026
After some 53 years, Antigone remains a no-frills stronghold where community organizers trade flyers near the entrance, and the inventory captures the perspectives of life in a vibrant border city.
—Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Apr. 2026
Nicholas Fox, a former Virgin Group communications executive who worked across Virgin’s airline and train businesses who now is a Senior Managing Director at Sloane PR, says Spirit lost something along the way that originally made no-frills flying work.
—Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for no-frills
Taylor Haught, Kansas City Star, 1 May 2026
Most evenings, Mohamed Ismail would sit at his local ‘ahwa, one of the small, no-frills coffee shops that are the cornerstone of social life in Cairo.
—Mirette Magdy, Bloomberg, 27 Apr. 2026
After some 53 years, Antigone remains a no-frills stronghold where community organizers trade flyers near the entrance, and the inventory captures the perspectives of life in a vibrant border city.
—Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Apr. 2026
Nicholas Fox, a former Virgin Group communications executive who worked across Virgin’s airline and train businesses who now is a Senior Managing Director at Sloane PR, says Spirit lost something along the way that originally made no-frills flying work.
—Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for no-frills
Recent Examples of Synonyms for no-frills
Adjective
-
Six weeks later, most of the American passengers who were aboard the MV Hondius are now in small, spartan rooms with a bed and an exercise bike at the National Quarantine Unit in Omaha, Nebraska, facing potential weeks of isolation.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
12 May 2026
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The overall aesthetic was slightly ascetic without being spartan—a pale, neutral color palette; simple, modern furniture; a few pieces of abstract art.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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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
-
Maria, austere and deeply pious, runs the business with an iron hand, obsessed with making the family’s origins forgotten.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
14 May 2026
-
Units can reposition quickly across difficult terrain, including austere island environments.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“No-frills.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/no-frills. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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