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
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2025
Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli did indeed sign a prenup when they got married, according to TMZ, but that doesn’t mean the divorce is going to be straightforward.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 23 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
There is the more straightforward version of that question, which would provide viewers with a clear idea of where their sympathies should lie.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2025
Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli did indeed sign a prenup when they got married, according to TMZ, but that doesn’t mean the divorce is going to be straightforward.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 23 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
-
However, not all studies agree that methane is a direct cause of constipation.—
Emmanuella Ogbonna,
Health,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Vinicius Jr also thrived in the Italian’s counter-attacking tactical setup, which was designed at least in part to suit his pace and direct running, and delivered the club’s two most recent Champions League trophies in 2022 and 2024.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
In stark contrast to CNN+ or the Max programming, All Access delivers 16 hours of the same live, linear feed of CNN paid watched by pay-TV subscribers.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
28 Oct. 2025
-
The growing divide doesn’t separate streaming and linear—in fact, those two distribution approaches increasingly mirror each other.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
When his father’s milestone birthday arrived, the teen saw an opportunity to be brutally honest.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
27 Oct. 2025
-
Other marketing, the kind of stuff that people who would need to seek out (like, oh, big fans of Bruce) is more honest, like this featurette all about Cooper’s approach to this specific time in The Boss’ life and career.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
With its investments in AI infrastructure and obvious strengths on the power front, this is a country that is building out data centers and positioning itself as a hub for AI, entertainment, sports, finance, high-tech manufacturing and more.—
Diane Brady,
Fortune,
27 Oct. 2025
-
The analyst pointed to Azure, Microsoft's cloud computing platform, as an obvious artificial intelligence beneficiary.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
27 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
Subscribe to our free newsletter to get your unique weekly horoscope delivered straight to your inbox.—
Tabitha Parent,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Sign up to get crime news sent straight to your inbox each day.—
Katie Langford,
Denver Post,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Excluding plain water, there’s no other drink that enjoys such a breadth of uses.—
Kate Bernot,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
29 Oct. 2025
-
The couple appeared to be wearing matching plain white t-shirts.—
Tommy McArdle,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Dynevor, meanwhile, finds texture in a villainous role that rightly reminds us how petty personal grievances (on campus, no less) may well be the driving force behind the most outspoken political provocateurs.—
Manuel Betancourt,
Variety,
29 Oct. 2025
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Airbnb’s cofounder and CEO Brian Chesky is one the most outspoken leaders in the business world waving the red flag on loneliness.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
In March, a Turkish expat in Montevideo, Uruguay, spotted that unmistakable baby face recklessly driving a brand-new white Ferrari and caught him on a cell phone video.—
Moisés Naím,
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
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Closing these gaps — by proving cold chain integrity and making preparation steps unmistakable — is key to preventing devastating safety breakdowns and the category-wide PR fallout that can follow a single recall.—
Darin Detwiler,
Fortune,
21 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Straightforward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straightforward. Accessed 2 Nov. 2025.
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