1
as in openly
in an honest and direct manner
you'll have to tell your relatives very plainly that you don't like perfume, or they'll keep giving it to you
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in certainly
without any question
your wife is plainly upset that you didn't invite her to the game with us
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 plainly
Put plainly, every Democratic candidate of color was left out.
—
Matt Klink, Oc Register, 17 Mar. 2026
The broader ambition — connecting TIFF’s programming function, TIFFCOM’s market function and Film Frontier’s talent development function into a single coherent system — is something Ikeda states plainly.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 16 Mar. 2026
In January, Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell plainly stated that the franchise’s priority was to build the most talented and deep quarterback room possible.
—Alec Lewis, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
Now Conan O’Brien, who spent almost 30 years behind late-night desks, is saying plainly what many viewers have sensed.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 12 Mar. 2026
This is a day for speaking plainly and clearing up lingering misunderstandings.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 11 Mar. 2026
Quincy Magoo could plainly see that Darnell Nurse knocked Nathan MacKinnon straight into Connor Ingram’s noggin.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 11 Mar. 2026
Andruw Jones had put it plainly before first pitch.
—Noah Gulley, Miami Herald, 8 Mar. 2026
Fernández addressed it plainly afterward, pointing to the giveaways as the separator in a game that got away from his team early and never came back.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 5 Mar. 2026
Matt Klink, Oc Register, 17 Mar. 2026
The broader ambition — connecting TIFF’s programming function, TIFFCOM’s market function and Film Frontier’s talent development function into a single coherent system — is something Ikeda states plainly.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 16 Mar. 2026
In January, Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell plainly stated that the franchise’s priority was to build the most talented and deep quarterback room possible.
—Alec Lewis, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
Now Conan O’Brien, who spent almost 30 years behind late-night desks, is saying plainly what many viewers have sensed.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 12 Mar. 2026
This is a day for speaking plainly and clearing up lingering misunderstandings.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 11 Mar. 2026
Quincy Magoo could plainly see that Darnell Nurse knocked Nathan MacKinnon straight into Connor Ingram’s noggin.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 11 Mar. 2026
Andruw Jones had put it plainly before first pitch.
—Noah Gulley, Miami Herald, 8 Mar. 2026
Fernández addressed it plainly afterward, pointing to the giveaways as the separator in a game that got away from his team early and never came back.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 5 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plainly
Adverb
-
Paul frequently accuses Mortenson of cheating and lying, which he’s openly admitted to — after he gets caught.—
Jodi Guglielmi,
Rolling Stone,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Together, those forces contribute to an increasingly tense environment in which women’s autonomy, LGBTQ rights, and the protection of minorities is not just openly contested, but actively undermined.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
19 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
There are certainly areas for all parties to improve, Hernandez said.—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
23 Mar. 2026
-
These certainly aren’t the only proposals candidates have on the topic, or all the candidates who are running for governor, but rather just some of the ideas floated to voters recently.—
Kaitlyn Schallhorn,
Oc Register,
22 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
But the few times they’re forced to play their hurt feelings sincerely are as forced as the moment when Grace zips her gory wedding gown back on before it’s even been washed.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2026
-
The 98th Academy Awards, which came at the end of what felt like a particularly never-ending cycle of discourse and prognostication, did a good job making plenty of room to celebrate both movies sincerely.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
16 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
This straightforwardly noble approach surely has some uses.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Mar. 2026
-
While Gruev has been dependable, swapping him in for a striker like Nmecha is, surely, too conservative.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
20 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
That said, however, anyone who picks anything other than this rap classic as the greatest basketball song of all time is just plain wrong.—
Jim Harrington,
Mercury News,
20 Mar. 2026
-
And the animation is plain ugly, even by the network’s standards.—
Eric Vilas-Boas,
Vulture,
18 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
With a lot of pressure on A&M to perform after a down year in 2025, relying on a true freshman at a critical position is definitely a gamble.—
Tony Catalina,
Austin American Statesman,
20 Mar. 2026
-
That said, the clear majority of your training–definitely greater than 50%–should be done at a slow pace, Hamilton says.—
Jenny McCoy,
SELF,
20 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
After using it, my scalp honestly felt so clean and refreshed.—
Catharine Malzahn,
Glamour,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Anyone assessing the Giants’ free agent signings honestly to date can’t say with certainty that this team has gotten better, outside of the Likely and punter Jordan Stout signings.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
17 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
What emerged was a series of intricate, heady features whose ideas often came through more clearly than their sentiments.—
Holden Seidlitz,
New Yorker,
20 Mar. 2026
-
The mustache required fewer pixels to animate than a mouth, and the overalls helped clearly define Mario’s movements.—
Alexander Kaplan,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plainly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plainly. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
