plain Jane 1 of 2

Definition of plain Janenext

plain-Jane

2 of 2

adjective

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of plain Jane
Noun
Sure, there’s the plain Jane staples, but Fat Patty also offers a variety of specialty burgers. Renee Umsted, Charlotte Observer, 16 May 2025 Jane starts off literally like plain Jane, very sweet and wholesome. EW.com, 25 Feb. 2025 If a plain Jane hamburger is your thing, go for it. Rasputin Todd, The Enquirer, 7 Sep. 2023 This means that even your plain Jane, vanilla cookie lover will enjoy this cookie as much as the anything-goes cookie enthusiast. Elizabeth Karmel, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2022 The relationship is actually quite a bit more plain Jane than a lot of other relationships in the show. David Viramontes, Los Angeles Times, 23 Nov. 2022 Peer through their five spokes, and the standard cast-iron rotors and black calipers look plain Jane to those used to slotted discs and colorful binders, but there's always Porsche's $8970 ceramic composite brake option. Elana Scherr, Car and Driver, 6 Apr. 2022
Adjective
Unlike plain-Jane business conferences that focus on tactics or transactions, the best leadership gatherings expose you to ideas that stretch your assumptions. Robert B. Tucker, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026 Much has been said about Bella's plain-Jane persona, but Stewart's earnest performance vivifies the character with a plucky yet lovesick duality that also grounds the film's lofty fantasy sequences. Edward Segarra, USA Today, 31 Oct. 2025 What about plain-Jane organic sheep who’ve been hijacked by a grapefruit-size eyeball with tentacles? Chris Klimek, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2025 And while your Christmas tree might ordinarily be decked out with plain-Jane trimmings or classic tinsel, Walmart has the iconic Hallmark ornaments that will not only remind you of the good old days but spice up your decor. Megan Schaltegger, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Dec. 2024 The Romans christened it Insula Minor, Lesser Island, as if forever bequeathing it plain-Jane status next to Ibiza and Mallorca, its alluring Balearic sisters. Stephanie Rafanelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 May 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plain Jane
Noun
  • How can Jessica Reynolds know that she’s managed to anchor her Emma Harte as a sort of everywoman.
    Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 11 Mar. 2026
  • Adrienne is the everywoman, the reluctant diplomat documenting in horror the women’s deteriorating dinner party behavior.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Celebrities have kept the plain pointed stiletto in rotation inside the broader white shoe push this spring, especially as the color has moved past bridal dressing and into red carpets, press stops and daytime appearances.
    Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 12 May 2026
  • The team also collected artifacts that were often found sitting in plain sight for conservation, protection and research purposes.
    Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 12 May 2026
Noun
  • The psoas is important, but invisible, like a commoner.
    Stuart Miller, Oc Register, 7 May 2026
  • It will be attended by roughly 150,000 fans, kings and commoners, wearing hats and drinking mint juleps.
    NBC news, NBC news, 29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The typical lifespan of a tire pressure monitoring sensor (TPMS) battery is about 7–10 years.
    Hartford Courant, Hartford Courant, 12 May 2026
  • At NBCUniversal’s upfront on May 11, as has become typical for this time of year, Bravo flooded the zone.
    Kate Aurthur, Variety, 11 May 2026
Noun
  • On the one hand, the proletarian contributes every bit of on-the-clock activity to the value of the resulting commodity.
    Benjamin Kunkel, Harpers Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025
  • The song, now considered a protest anthem, is about a social revolution in which French proletarians stand against the ruling class — in this case, an oppressive monarchy.
    Raven Brunner, People.com, 24 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Potterheads across the globe will instantly recognize Harry’s not-so-homely house on Privet Drive, his cramped excuse of a bedroom and the endless disdain oozing from the young wizard’s unloving aunt and uncle, Petunia and Vernon Dursley.
    Charlotte Reck, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Unlike many of the birds that Helen and Allan Cruickshank found in the Everglades, the storks had not been decimated by plume hunters decades before because the homely bird’s feathers weren’t prized for ladies' hats.
    Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 9 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • The listed attorney for the John Doe, who previously spoke to The Daily Mail, did not respond to an email seeking further comment.
    David Chiu, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026
  • Two newer plaintiffs, identified as Jane Doe 5 and John Doe 1, joined the case in November 2025.
    Julie Sharp, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Many of the precautions a traveler could take are similar to those that became familiar at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
    Eve Chen, USA Today, 8 May 2026
  • Details about the underlying allegation remain murky, but the department sources familiar with the matter said the LAPD’s secretive Special Operations Division tailed officers who were under investigation.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Plain Jane.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plain%20Jane. Accessed 15 May. 2026.

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