as in spartan
providing only the essentials and nothing fancy or luxurious
a low-cost, no-frills vacation during which we camped out and cooked our own meals
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Recent Examples of no-frills
Spirit, known for its bright yellow planes and no-frills service, has had a rough ride since the COVID-19 pandemic, struggling to rebound amid rising operation costs and its mounting debt.
—
Preston Fore, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2025
See the full setlist here The music does a lot of the legwork, stadium-ready with massive, no-frills choruses begging to be sung back to him by hoards of devotees.
—Heather Bushman, IndyStar, 29 Aug. 2025
Traditionally, the announcement of the Kennedy Center Honors is a low-key affair — recipients are normally revealed each summer with a no-frills press release.
—Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 20 Aug. 2025
This no-frills recipe will be the star of any weekend breakfast.
—Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 18 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for no-frills
Preston Fore, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2025
See the full setlist here The music does a lot of the legwork, stadium-ready with massive, no-frills choruses begging to be sung back to him by hoards of devotees.
—Heather Bushman, IndyStar, 29 Aug. 2025
Traditionally, the announcement of the Kennedy Center Honors is a low-key affair — recipients are normally revealed each summer with a no-frills press release.
—Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 20 Aug. 2025
This no-frills recipe will be the star of any weekend breakfast.
—Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 18 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for no-frills
Recent Examples of Synonyms for no-frills
Adjective
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The Long Walk uses the rawness of its spartan premise to venture deep into uncomfortable territory, culminating in an ending that blurs the lines between perseverance and defeat, hope and nihilism.—
James Grebey,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
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But this new 86-footer, stripped of its predecessors’ bling, is more of a spartan, minimalist explorer, with transatlantic potential.—
Tristan Rutherford,
Robb Report,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Mahle views its range-extenders as far more than simple independent add-on, looking at them as one component in a holistic driving architecture in which smaller batteries can replace larger ones while still alleviating, rather than intensifying, range anxiety.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
20 Sep. 2025
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For a similarly simple, comfortable option that’s a little more sophisticated, try a stylish ivory sweater (yes, white after Labor Day is definitely acceptable in France), particularly in a rollneck fashion that will suit silhouettes of all types.—
Lane Nieset,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Due to his austere and detached manner, he is known to immediately inspire awe in his patients.—
Ut Community Press,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Sep. 2025
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In addition to showcasing the Arctic’s raw, austere beauty and wildlife encounters such as sightings of polar bears, walruses, wolves, giant musk ox, narwhal, and snowy owls, the voyage shines a spotlight on the Indigenous people who have stewarded the region’s unusual ecosystems for 5,000 years.—
Robin Catalano,
AFAR Media,
15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“No-frills.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/no-frills. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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