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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Brianna Tobritzhofer, Health, 7 Oct. 2025
Morris reveals Buffett and Munger above all as teachers who used plain language and sharp wit to help a broad audience.
—Big Think, 7 Oct. 2025
Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2025
Even though temperatures are holding steady at just plain hot during the day here in the South, nighttime temperatures, thankfully, do drop some.
—Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 21 Sep. 2025
Literary Hub, 29 Sep. 2025
One of the highest growing regions in Europe is Spain’s Ribera del Duero, which sits on a high plain with vineyard elevations from 2,362 feet to higher than 3,280.
—Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 28 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for plain
Adjective
Choose plain oats and add fresh berries and nuts for flavor and crunch.
—Brianna Tobritzhofer, Health, 7 Oct. 2025
Morris reveals Buffett and Munger above all as teachers who used plain language and sharp wit to help a broad audience.
—Big Think, 7 Oct. 2025
Adverb
Just plain ol’ regular folks ruling the world.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2025
Even though temperatures are holding steady at just plain hot during the day here in the South, nighttime temperatures, thankfully, do drop some.
—Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 21 Sep. 2025
Noun
Armed conflict on the northern plains increased from the 1850s into the 1860s as white settlers crossed deep into Indian Country, claiming the land and natural resources of Native nations.
—Literary Hub, 29 Sep. 2025
One of the highest growing regions in Europe is Spain’s Ribera del Duero, which sits on a high plain with vineyard elevations from 2,362 feet to higher than 3,280.
—Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 28 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for plain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plain
Adjective
-
Jared Jewelers Bulova Phantom Watch A watch is both practical and fashionable, and this style adds a touch of sparkle to simple outfits.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
PEOPLE,
4 Oct. 2025
-
Each year, as the temperature rises, the town’s regular population of around 300 swells with thousands of kids soaking up the simple pleasures of the great outdoors.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
But Russell’s performance was a beam of pure light, burning off any condescension.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
6 Oct. 2025
-
And while the Picoult engages a tougher subject (a school shooting and its fallout), the other three titles in this crop are pure romantasy.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Hayes’ family members have been outspoken about their loss.—
Amy Yurkanin,
ProPublica,
9 Oct. 2025
-
This seizure comes just days after Israeli forces intercepted another aid flotilla and arrested the activists on board, including Greta Thunberg, an outspoken critic of Israel.—
Rachel Wolf,
FOXNews.com,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Once numbing kicks in, most patients describe the day as straightforward.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
-
That concentration makes capture relatively straightforward by routing the exhaust through chemical scrubbers, binding the CO2, compressing and storing it underground.—
Tejasri Gururaj,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The Seahawks put the Bucs in obvious situations, then offered little resistance.—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
One obvious strategy to try to tackle the staffing problems is to close more prisons, and this year’s state budget authorized Governor Hochul to close up to three more.—
Jennifer Gonnerman,
New Yorker,
6 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
In the series, the Academy Award-winning director and his older daughters openly discuss how Martin was not always the most present parent during the earlier parts of his career in the 1970s.—
Tommy McArdle,
PEOPLE,
4 Oct. 2025
-
While doing a press tour amid the release of her new album, The Life of a Showgirl, Swift has openly discussed her engagement to the Kansas City Chiefs tight end and offered details on her engagement ring that has caught attention for its sizable diamond.—
Lexy Perez,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In the 1980s, Nolin and Mutter helped coordinate the restoration of a natural prairie ecosystem at the site.—
Danny Robb,
JSTOR Daily,
3 Oct. 2025
-
One way to pair the two experiences is a ride on the Grand Canyon Railway, where travelers can see high desert, prairie and pine forest landscapes on a 4½ hour round-trip train ride that starts in the Route 66 town of Williams and stops at the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park.—
Michael Salerno,
AZCentral.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The sheer expanse of places to see in Japan is astounding.—
Kristin Braswell,
AFAR Media,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Between them stretches the long expanse of the table—a zone of tension, where the celestial mission of knowledge collides with the earthly reality of budgets.—
Rick Burton,
Sportico.com,
6 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Plain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plain. Accessed 11 Oct. 2025.
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