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
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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
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Recent Examples of plainly
Your 3rd House of Debate surges as fiery Mars arrives, pushing you to say the important thing plainly — and to move on it soon.
—
Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 9 Apr. 2026
This quite plainly is a group of adult activists foisting their political causes onto the next generation, defining students in their own image, and asking them to carry these burdens for them.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
The result, however, speaks plainly.
—David Foxley, Architectural Digest, 8 Apr. 2026
Her work plainly belongs to this lineage of witchy writers, women whose deliciously corrupted scenes of home and hearth produce fear and wild laughter at once.
—Kristen Roupenian, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Varas made that point plainly this week.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Such an arrest is plainly inconsistent with basic First Amendment principles.
—Nina Totenberg, NPR, 23 Mar. 2026
The inference, plainly, is that is not the case at the moment.
—Oliver Kay, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2026
Brian McClendon, Niantic Spatial’s chief technology officer and one of the original creators of Google Earth, explains the data strategy plainly.
—Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2026
Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 9 Apr. 2026
This quite plainly is a group of adult activists foisting their political causes onto the next generation, defining students in their own image, and asking them to carry these burdens for them.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
The result, however, speaks plainly.
—David Foxley, Architectural Digest, 8 Apr. 2026
Her work plainly belongs to this lineage of witchy writers, women whose deliciously corrupted scenes of home and hearth produce fear and wild laughter at once.
—Kristen Roupenian, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Varas made that point plainly this week.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Such an arrest is plainly inconsistent with basic First Amendment principles.
—Nina Totenberg, NPR, 23 Mar. 2026
The inference, plainly, is that is not the case at the moment.
—Oliver Kay, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2026
Brian McClendon, Niantic Spatial’s chief technology officer and one of the original creators of Google Earth, explains the data strategy plainly.
—Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plainly
Adverb
-
Its sustained support for armed proxy groups in the region — organizations that openly seek Israel’s destruction — demonstrates that this is not merely rhetorical.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Democratic Party leaders are openly worried, though, that the two Republicans — Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco — could finish 1-2, thereby ensuring the election of a GOP governor.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
8 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
My sisters certainly haven’t lost me to Hugh.—
David Sedaris,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
-
If there's a better version of Madison Taylor, that would certainly be scary for any of the Wildcats opponents the rest of the way.—
Matt Zahn,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
In a video message, Drake spoke sincerely about how much Furtado had inspired him.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
30 Mar. 2026
-
But it’s played sincerely, so the visual contrast just makes the connection feel clumsy, if not outright absurd.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
23 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
The scrutiny of fame has always been dehumanizing, though the ubiquity of the modern-day comment section has surely accelerated and exaggerated its cruelty.—
Amanda Petrusich,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Raven Johnson, point guard, South Carolina Johnson doesn’t necessarily fit the mold of what Golden State does offensively, but with a need at backup point guard, the Valkyries could surely use the defensive tenacity Johnson brings.—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
12 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
The design is simple and plain-looking.—
Mark Knapp,
PC Magazine,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Not a lot of acts are going for broke right now, especially when plenty of musicians are just plain broke.—
Hannah Jocelyn,
Pitchfork,
30 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
New Yorkers, at least, can — and most definitely will — go to The Nitehawk instead.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Water found its level on Dane’s board, though — an early- to mid-Round 2 landing spot definitely feels like a safer bet for the Alabama QB.—
Nick Baumgardner,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
The healthiest policy environment is one where districts, labor, families, and boards solve problems early and honestly, with students at the center and with fiscal discipline.—
Opinion Staff,
Oc Register,
7 Apr. 2026
-
This citizen honestly does not know which is worse.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
As folks from across the health, tech, and business worlds were quick to point out online, at the time the NYT article was published, Medvi was being marketed on social media by a trove of Meta accounts featuring clearly fake doctors.—
Maggie Harrison Dupré,
Futurism,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Look, no one is buying this book because a so-so looking white dude who’s clearly neither young nor old, wrote this thing.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plainly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plainly. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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