1
as in direct
going straight to the point clearly and firmly
a straightforward account of the football game with no digressions or personal comments
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in linear
free from irregularities or digressions in course
the missile continued on its straightforward path toward the enemy's command post
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in honest
free in expressing one's true feelings and opinions
I want you to be straightforward with me and tell me if this dress looks awful
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in obvious
not subject to misinterpretation or more than one interpretation
the distinction between the two types of offenses is pretty straightforward
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
also straightforwards
as in straight
in an honest and direct manner
she finally told him straightforward that she wasn't interested in a date
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of straightforward
Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 Oct. 2025
The Republic could not get a straightforward answer to the question of how much money was being put toward enacting the plan's recommendations, despite multiple interviews and emailed requests to state employees charged with implementing them.
—Joan Meiners, AZCentral.com, 1 Oct. 2025
Audrey Bruno, SELF, 14 Oct. 2024
While the concept of divestment from Israel appears straightforward—selling off shares of companies with ties to the country—its practical implications are far more complex.
—Solcyré Burga, TIME, 2 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for straightforward
Adjective
Clean-up is super straightforward; the magnetic whisk pops out, the lid can go in the dishwasher, and the non-stick interior keeps taking an easy rinse with soap and water.
—Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 Oct. 2025
The Republic could not get a straightforward answer to the question of how much money was being put toward enacting the plan's recommendations, despite multiple interviews and emailed requests to state employees charged with implementing them.
—Joan Meiners, AZCentral.com, 1 Oct. 2025
Adverb
Despite seeming straightforward, microwaves aren’t standardized, so finding your machine’s power settings in the first place can be confusing, Chen says.
—Audrey Bruno, SELF, 14 Oct. 2024
While the concept of divestment from Israel appears straightforward—selling off shares of companies with ties to the country—its practical implications are far more complex.
—Solcyré Burga, TIME, 2 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for straightforward
Recent Examples of Synonyms for straightforward
Adjective
-
Otherwise, the return to land was relatively uneventful, according to multiple sources with direct knowledge.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
3 Oct. 2025
-
MagellanTV co-founder Diefenbach will join Blue Ant as executive vp of streaming, overseeing the Canadian company’s direct-to-consumer and subscription video businesses and reporting to Carlyn Staudt, president, global channels and streaming.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
That can be tough to recreate on a theme park ride, which usually demands a linear story arc.—
Robert Niles,
Oc Register,
30 Sep. 2025
-
The results were not linear that winter.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
And one Group of 5 staffer was especially honest, politely declining to partake in the survey.—
Grace Raynor,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Daniel Jones has been accurate and efficient, and Jonathan Taylor continues to be a workhorse in the backfield, breaking through tackles and keeping defenses honest.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Black inks for the same printers tend to have less obvious smearing than the color ink, and many smear just enough to see a smudge, without harming readability.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
30 Sep. 2025
-
But Trump’s arbitrary brand of interventionism comes with obvious dangers.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
29 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
Paltrow completed her look with black pointed-toe pumps and wore her blonde hair straight and styled parted down the middle.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
1 Oct. 2025
-
While most 200-horsepower sport bikes top out around 190 mph, Indian’s Challenger is a bagger that can rival them straight down the salt flats.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Music industry machinations are mostly to blame; a higher supply of albums means more sales, which translates into chart performance and popularity and plain old checks to cash.—
Heather Bushman,
IndyStar,
1 Oct. 2025
-
The locker rooms and antechambers behind the scenes are drab and plain.—
Richard Lawson,
Rolling Stone,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
No president has ever fired a commissioner, and many commissioners have been outspoken advocates for free speech.—
Erin Mansfield,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
-
The legendary journalist and author's first husband Jay Monahan died of colon cancer in 1998 which spurred her to be an outspoken advocate and fundraiser for cancer research.—
Kiran Hefa,
PEOPLE,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Precise numbers of staffing cuts are hard to pin down, but their historic scale in the first eight months of this administration is unmistakable.—
Chris Sellers,
The Conversation,
29 Sep. 2025
-
But some parts are unmistakable.—
Abby Hamblin,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Straightforward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straightforward. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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