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
This is a great timepiece choice for the man who needs a no-frills, functional option.
—
John Monaco, InStyle, 7 Feb. 2026
But the no-frills Wildcats continue to find ways to grind out postseason victories.
—Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2026
The no-frills check-in app didn’t top the charts because of brilliant engineering.
—Catherine Thorbecke, Twin Cities, 31 Jan. 2026
Dyche is known for robust, no-frills teams that can cause the odd upset but usually reach a ceiling of mid-table stability.
—Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for no-frills
John Monaco, InStyle, 7 Feb. 2026
But the no-frills Wildcats continue to find ways to grind out postseason victories.
—Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2026
The no-frills check-in app didn’t top the charts because of brilliant engineering.
—Catherine Thorbecke, Twin Cities, 31 Jan. 2026
Dyche is known for robust, no-frills teams that can cause the odd upset but usually reach a ceiling of mid-table stability.
—Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for no-frills
Recent Examples of Synonyms for no-frills
Adjective
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Freed from any sort of period accuracy, Davies tried to start the house in a spartan, memory-like state, as Cathy and Heathcliff would remember it from childhood.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
18 Feb. 2026
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Yes, rooms are small, but the furniture and layout maximizes space in smart not spartan ways.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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That simple sentiment distills what being a Louisianan is about.—
Carlie Procell,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
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No doubt history would be very different if a citizen’s duty was simple obeyance.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Nishihata’s modern take on the austere Japanese garden is complimented by colorful florals by another local plant genius, Makoto Azuma.—
Kelly Wetherille,
Footwear News,
18 Feb. 2026
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The preference for fish is given because, according to Catholic tradition, it is considered an austere food and has a broad meaning in the biblical story of the loaves and fishes, as well as in the fact that four of the 12 disciples chosen by Jesus were fishermen.—
Nadia Cantú,
AZCentral.com,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“No-frills.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/no-frills. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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