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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in straightforward
going straight to the point clearly and firmly
a plain report on the current situation
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Halle Troadec, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2025
After her best friend and heir-to-the-throne, Kyrian, replaces her as a sacrifice to the Devil, plain, plus-size and autistic Alesta is willing to go to Hell and back.
—Brittany Johnson, PEOPLE, 2 Nov. 2025
The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Oct. 2025
But that doesn’t stop it from being just plain cool.
—Tj MacIas, Kansas City Star, 13 Oct. 2025
Erin Gifford, Outside, 30 Oct. 2025
For its plains and contrasts palette, the mélange and colors were inspired by women’s fashion.
—Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for plain
Adjective
Every day this White House offers up a fresh batch of lawlessness and recklessness and mean-spiritedness and just plain craziness.
—Halle Troadec, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2025
After her best friend and heir-to-the-throne, Kyrian, replaces her as a sacrifice to the Devil, plain, plus-size and autistic Alesta is willing to go to Hell and back.
—Brittany Johnson, PEOPLE, 2 Nov. 2025
Adverb
For variegated types, that’s actually the preferred way, since rooted cuttings often send up new shoots that are just plain green.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Oct. 2025
But that doesn’t stop it from being just plain cool.
—Tj MacIas, Kansas City Star, 13 Oct. 2025
Noun
Osawatomie to Herington Kansas may be famed for its wide-open plains, but the Flint Hills Trail reveals a wilder, more varied side of the state.
—Erin Gifford, Outside, 30 Oct. 2025
For its plains and contrasts palette, the mélange and colors were inspired by women’s fashion.
—Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for plain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plain
Adjective
-
According to Bruce Blair, a former Air Force launch officer and nuclear policy expert, between 1962 and the mid-1970s the most powerful digits on the globe were simple – eight zeros.—
Charlotte Reck,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
-
That something as simple as a COVID vaccine might improve survival in cancer patients receiving standard immunotherapy has taken oncologists by surprise — in a good way.—
Lisa Jarvis,
Twin Cities,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Obviously, this is pure speculation at this point in time.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Nov. 2025
-
Rybakina is one of the purest ballstrikers on the tour, whose all-or-nothing game can veer from erratic to unplayable in the space of a few games.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Her love life, like her work life, according to her most outspoken friend, Littia (singer Inayah), is in shambles, and an invitation to spend the holidays with love interest Colton (Aaron O’Connell) challenges her perspectives on romance.—
Ronda Racha Penrice,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Nov. 2025
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The pair will face the immediate challenge of addressing the controversy over politics that has roiled the firm, at a time when many Silicon Valley venture firms are becoming increasingly outspoken on hot-button political and culture-war issues.—
Allie Garfinkle,
Fortune,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
According to Blair, the two members on shift would often organize alternative sleeping rotas that left just one individual with a straightforward password and all the power.—
Charlotte Reck,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
-
In straightforward and compelling prose, Sammy, then 40, tells the story of his vaudeville beginnings, his growth as an entertainer, and his movement through America.—
Questlove,
The Atlantic,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The single-minded obsession with Mamdani’s talk of affordability, while convenient for the mayor-elect and a vital part of his appeal, also misses an obvious point.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
10 Nov. 2025
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Could the Cavs tinker just a little more to take advantage of his efficiency and obvious talent, even when everyone else is healthy?—
Joe Vardon,
New York Times,
10 Nov. 2025
Adverb
-
In late October, former Fox News host Tucker Carlson posted a YouTube interview with Nick Fuentes, a popular white-nationalist and openly antisemitic pundit.—
Eli Thompson,
Rolling Stone,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Minnesota coach Chris Finch senses a growing interest in the tournament for players across the league, noting guys talk openly about it.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The Longview Steakhouse Located on the eastern edge of Kananaskis, where the mountains flatten out, this eponymous steakhouse is known as much for its long prairie views as its tender cuts of beef.—
Lisa Kadane,
Travel + Leisure,
2 Nov. 2025
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After the death of his addict father, Ethan heads back to see if there’s any money to be made from selling his home, intending to stay, only briefly, with his aunt Sarah, Metcalf’s character, a Brunhilde of the high prairie.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
One of the original Florida state parks, opened to the public in 1935, the 13,000-acre expanse felt more like Georgia or North Carolina with its high plateaus, steep ravines, waterfalls, and seasonal foliage.—
Carrie Honaker,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Nov. 2025
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After passing through a gate, the trail scrambles up the backside of Chicken Point, a broad open expanse of slickrock surrounded by abrupt colorful cliffs with views spilling across the valley.—
Roger Naylor,
AZCentral.com,
8 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Plain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plain. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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