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 no-frills pick is sure to serve as a mainstay in your closet since it can be paired with practically anything.
—
Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 2 Apr. 2026
The only thing better than its no-frills voiceover is the muzak.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 2 Apr. 2026
While there are numerous video doorbell options to consider, all with varying features, today’s deal is ideal for beginners looking to set up a no-frills video doorbell.
—Carlos Mejia, PC Magazine, 26 Mar. 2026
The no-frills cuisine is defined by high-quality ingredients, fresh-from-the-ocean seafood, and unusually spicy dishes—by Italian standards, anyway.
—Jenna Curcio, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for no-frills
Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 2 Apr. 2026
The only thing better than its no-frills voiceover is the muzak.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 2 Apr. 2026
While there are numerous video doorbell options to consider, all with varying features, today’s deal is ideal for beginners looking to set up a no-frills video doorbell.
—Carlos Mejia, PC Magazine, 26 Mar. 2026
The no-frills cuisine is defined by high-quality ingredients, fresh-from-the-ocean seafood, and unusually spicy dishes—by Italian standards, anyway.
—Jenna Curcio, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for no-frills
Recent Examples of Synonyms for no-frills
Adjective
-
Plot details are under wraps but according to the spartan official synopsis, the psychological thriller unfolds in a seemingly idyllic and takes audiences on a vertiginous dive into the shifting limits of a sound mind, as grief and obsession take hold.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
1 Apr. 2026
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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
Adjective
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Styles for men and women are available -- all with Allbirds design philosophy that's clean, modern and perfectly simple -- lightweight, bouncy and wildly comfortable.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
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On April 18, that reverence will look like music, laughter and a line of people waiting for something hot out of the fryer — a simple plate carrying stories from across the world, all landing in one place.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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But some astronomers, faced with increasingly austere government funding for their ground- and space-based projects, are beginning to see the moon as a more fiscally-stable scientific stage for some of their most ambitious cosmic studies.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
8 Apr. 2026
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Crockett is too gregarious to replicate Willie’s austere desert balladry, though.—
Stephen Thomas Erlewine,
Pitchfork,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“No-frills.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/no-frills. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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