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
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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
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4
as in straightforward
going straight to the point clearly and firmly
a plain report on the current situation
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in obvious
not subject to misinterpretation or more than one interpretation
let me make my meaning plain
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in openly
in an honest and direct manner
told her plain that he loved her
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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
Leigh Scheps, Parents, 21 July 2025
In the post’s third slide, Mahomes posed alongside her husband Patrick Mahomes, and their two children, Sterling and Bronze, while wearing a plain T-shirt, black shorts, and a fuss-free crossbody bag perfect for days spent chasing little ones.
—Averi Baudler, People.com, 20 July 2025
Olga Mecking, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 July 2025
Plus, this movie, written by Richard Matheson, is just plain exciting as hell.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 27 June 2025
New York Times, 11 July 2025
Iceland is an astrobiologist’s dream — rife with active volcanic landscapes, basaltic plains and lava tunnels that have repeatedly been used by NASA as a stand in for Mars.
—Bruce Dorminey, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for plain
Adjective
Back home, kids' meals in New Jersey cost anywhere from $12, $16 or recently, $20 for a plain bowl of spaghetti.
—Leigh Scheps, Parents, 21 July 2025
In the post’s third slide, Mahomes posed alongside her husband Patrick Mahomes, and their two children, Sterling and Bronze, while wearing a plain T-shirt, black shorts, and a fuss-free crossbody bag perfect for days spent chasing little ones.
—Averi Baudler, People.com, 20 July 2025
Adverb
But in Europe, including Poland, the bagel is not coming back in its original version—served and eaten plain—but in its New York rendition, with toppings like cream cheese and lox.
—Olga Mecking, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 July 2025
Plus, this movie, written by Richard Matheson, is just plain exciting as hell.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 27 June 2025
Noun
The campground sits on land designated as a flood plain.
—New York Times, 11 July 2025
Iceland is an astrobiologist’s dream — rife with active volcanic landscapes, basaltic plains and lava tunnels that have repeatedly been used by NASA as a stand in for Mars.
—Bruce Dorminey, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for plain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plain
Adjective
-
Looking for their environmental DNA in scales, slime or skin cells that living beings shed all the time is a simpler way, Workman said.—
Madeline Heim,
jsonline.com,
24 July 2025
-
This involves flexible decision making beyond simple automation.—
Ian Gotts,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
Adjective
-
But given that season 2 is yet to be confirmed, this is pure speculation.—
Allison DeGrushe Published,
EW.com,
23 July 2025
-
Citing the Base Realignment and Closure commission example is pure illusion.—
U T Readers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 July 2025
Adjective
-
The outspoken tech tycoon has made waves across the government with his new Department of Government Efficiency, which has slashed jobs and forced employees back into the office.—
Beck Andrew Salgado,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
-
Scherzer, one of the most outspoken players in the league, was a member of the MLBPA’s eight-player subcommittee, a group that unanimously rejected the current collective bargaining agreement more than three years ago.—
Brittany Ghiroli,
New York Times,
30 July 2025
Adjective
-
Usually, first-round contracts are straightforward, with terms outlined in the collective bargaining agreement.—
Eric Jackson,
Sportico.com,
24 July 2025
-
Watching the Dragon Ball franchise in release order is fairly straightforward.—
Chris Snellgrove,
EW.com,
24 July 2025
Adjective
-
In particular, the lack of late-inning arms with bat-missing raw stuff stands out as an obvious weakness for the playoffs, as the Tigers’ bullpen has the AL’s lowest strikeout rate overall.—
Tim Britton,
New York Times,
28 July 2025
-
The duty-free treatment of the past is on the verge of being replaced with a 50 percent punitive tariff — a shocking and destructive increase that serves no obvious purpose.—
Robert Goulder,
Forbes.com,
28 July 2025
Noun
-
Packing in some of the most scenic stretches of America’s prairies and mountains, the route follows parts of the Lewis & Clark Trail.—
Everett Potter,
Forbes.com,
24 July 2025
-
The bison, who were reintroduced to the prairie in 2022, are part of a plan to naturalize the park’s landscape by restoring the oak savanna and prairie landscape of the past.—
Mars King,
Twin Cities,
15 June 2025
Noun
-
From $308 per night. Perks: Soaking tub, terrace, full kitchen Tucked between misty green mountains and the glassy expanse of Lake Dos Bocas, Villa Limón feels like something out of a dream.—
Bailey Berg,
Architectural Digest,
31 July 2025
-
And like those women, the archetype bleeds easily, profusely, beyond the confines of fiction and into the edges and expanses of real life.—
Meg Pillow
July 31,
Literary Hub,
31 July 2025
Adjective
-
This is a great way to spot medical fraud or an honest human error like a miscoding of services.—
Nicole Villalpando,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
-
He’s been honest and realistic with his teammates about it.—
Dan Hayes,
New York Times,
29 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Plain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plain. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
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