1
as in plain
free from all additions or embellishment
a simple design, and one that never goes out of fashion
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unaffected
free from any intent to deceive or impress others
growing up in simple innocence
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3
as in pure
having no exceptions or restrictions
that's the simple truth
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4
as in easy
involving minimal difficulty or effort
I got all of the answers right because it was such a simple test
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5
as in naive
lacking in worldly wisdom or informed judgment
developers mistakenly thought that the local residents were simple people who would sell their land for practically nothing
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6
as in ignorant
lacking in education or the knowledge gained from books
the fact that he didn't go to college doesn't mean he's simple
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7
as in dumb
not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily
don't be so quick to characterize people who have trouble with computers as simple
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of simple
When the drink is this simple, there’s nowhere for sub-par ingredients to hide.
—
Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 28 June 2025
But early optimism about a simple deal to reduce India's high tariffs has hit roadblocks over disagreements on U.S. import duties for auto parts steel and farm goods, Indian officials with direct knowledge said.
—David Lawder, USA Today, 28 June 2025
Start your day like a pro with simple morning cleaning habits that keep your home feeling fresh, organized, and under control.
—Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 28 June 2025
While to some these screen-free devices may seem like a return to the early, simpler days of fitness trackers, Werring says the public is a bit more savvy than the step-counting obsessives of the 2010s.
—Andrew Williams, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for simple
Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 28 June 2025
But early optimism about a simple deal to reduce India's high tariffs has hit roadblocks over disagreements on U.S. import duties for auto parts steel and farm goods, Indian officials with direct knowledge said.
—David Lawder, USA Today, 28 June 2025
Start your day like a pro with simple morning cleaning habits that keep your home feeling fresh, organized, and under control.
—Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 28 June 2025
While to some these screen-free devices may seem like a return to the early, simpler days of fitness trackers, Werring says the public is a bit more savvy than the step-counting obsessives of the 2010s.
—Andrew Williams, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for simple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for simple
Adjective
-
Opponents and legal scholars maintain that the plain meaning and historical intent of the 14th Amendment protect those children's citizenship, and federal courts have repeatedly ruled against the Trump administration's interpretation.—
Hollie Silverman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 June 2025
-
As a departure from the era of plain skinny ties, Lauren's wide, colorful neckties broke the mold, and his company grew from there.—
Diane J. Cho,
People.com,
28 June 2025
Adjective
-
Both WestJet and Hawaiian Airlines said their operations were unaffected by the hacks.—
Sean Lyngaas,
CNN Money,
28 June 2025
-
Russian Security Council deputy chairman of Dmitry Medvedev also said Iran's critical nuclear infrastructure appeared to be unaffected or to have sustained only minor damage.—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
23 June 2025
Adjective
-
As Electrek points out, the E-VO isn't a pure Honda product.—
Utkarsh Sood
June 29,
New Atlas,
29 June 2025
-
Add in the pure creativity and skill of Lucas Raymond and Alex DeBrincat (legit competitors in their own rights, albeit in smaller bodies), and the two-way play of Dylan Larkin and Nate Danielson, and the future forward lineup starts to look pretty balanced.—
Max Bultman,
New York Times,
29 June 2025
Adjective
-
SodaStream's carbonation canister exchange is the cheapest of any device maker in this guide, and the proprietary bottles are also easy to replace at $22 for two.—
Matthew Korfhage,
Wired News,
25 June 2025
-
Completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869 made immigration into California and shipping produce out of the state much easier.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
25 June 2025
Adjective
-
Modern takes on the tankini and boy short offer nostalgia without being too naive and are also seen from Candice Swaenpoel’s Topic of C line or Hunza G’s colorful styles.—
Emily Mercer,
Footwear News,
27 June 2025
-
Yet such arguments are either geopolitically naive or disingenuous.—
Charles Kupchan,
Foreign Affairs,
20 June 2025
Adjective
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The former Fox host Tucker Carlson, who opposed such an operation, sparred with two boosters: the current Fox host Mark Levin, and the Republican senator Ted Cruz, whom Carlson revealed to be ignorant of basic facts about Iran in a clip that went viral.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
27 June 2025
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Maybe LLMs get us 80% of the way there without any oversight, but skipping the context and being completely ignorant of what the machine is doing is typically not a good idea, partly for the reasons that the panelists laid out.—
John Werner,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2025
Adjective
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Ratajkowski has been fighting the stereotype of the dumb model from the beginning of her career.—
Daniel Jackson,
Allure,
18 July 2017
-
Ninety nine percent of all NFL players are explicitly not dumb.—
Andy Benoit,
The MMQB,
10 July 2017
Adjective
-
Plums make their presence known along roadsides and in natural areas in spring when fragrant white blooms cover their bare branches.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
27 June 2025
-
It’s been players like Goldschmidt, Trent Grisham and Ben Rice that have offered Judge the bare minimum necessary support to keep them in front of the AL East.—
Tony Blengino,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Simple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/simple. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
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