1
as in simple
free from all additions or embellishment
I like my hamburgers plain, with no ketchup or relish just give us the plain facts and none of your snide comments
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pure
free from added matter
I'd prefer my pasta plain, not flavored with tomato or spinach or anything else
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in outspoken
free in expressing one's true feelings and opinions
their piano teacher is honest and plain, if not always tactful
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in straightforward
going straight to the point clearly and firmly
a plain report on the current situation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in obvious
not subject to misinterpretation or more than one interpretation
let me make my meaning plain
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in openly
in an honest and direct manner
told her plain that he loved her
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in prairie
a broad area of level or rolling treeless country
the first settlers in that area lived on the vast plains in lonely log cabins
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in expanse
a wide space or area
the vast plains of snow-covered earth that seemed to stretch endlessly
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of plain
Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 9 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix together heavy cream, plain yogurt, pure vanilla extract, and the seeds from a vanilla bean.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Feb. 2026
Karoline Leonard, Austin American Statesman, 29 Jan. 2026
Whereas Boyd was plain-spoken on purpose, Wheeler’s diction was always elevated and precise, with a hint of sarcasm.
—Nell Freudenberger, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 28 Jan. 2026
During winter, the polar jet stream transports cold, Arctic air southward across the plains of Canada and the United States, then eastward toward the Atlantic Ocean where warm air from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic tries to move northward.
—ABC News, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for plain
Adjective
Use the plain truth to deepen trust fast.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 9 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix together heavy cream, plain yogurt, pure vanilla extract, and the seeds from a vanilla bean.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Feb. 2026
Adverb
But when an item is oversized, especially fragile, antique or just plain strange, traditional shipping options tend to disappear quickly.
—Karoline Leonard, Austin American Statesman, 29 Jan. 2026
Whereas Boyd was plain-spoken on purpose, Wheeler’s diction was always elevated and precise, with a hint of sarcasm.
—Nell Freudenberger, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Noun
While the mighty megalodon is not swimming along the shores of the Bay State now, the enormous prehistoric shark relative once dominated the shallow seas that covered Maryland and the rest of the Atlantic coastal plain.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 28 Jan. 2026
During winter, the polar jet stream transports cold, Arctic air southward across the plains of Canada and the United States, then eastward toward the Atlantic Ocean where warm air from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic tries to move northward.
—ABC News, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for plain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plain
Adjective
-
Feltner’s routine was pretty simple.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
12 Feb. 2026
-
Crime 101 takes the same view of quid pro quo as the most basic form of American commerce and makes simple but brutal points about value and self-worth, where your car, its year, make and model, matters more than your resumé.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Otherwise, the tone of the show is pure cosmopolitan sympathy.—
Doreen St. Félix,
New Yorker,
14 Feb. 2026
-
That’s why Baumler’s pure stuff will only get him as far as his ability to command it against big league hitters.—
Shawn McFarland,
Dallas Morning News,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Aside from suave showmanship and feel-good Latin rhythms, the outspoken singer paid tribute to his Latino heritage and Puerto Rican history during his performance.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Beijing’s national security law has transformed Hong Kong, with authorities jailing dozens of dissidents; forcing civil society groups and outspoken media outlets to disband; and neutering the city’s once-raucous political scene.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The math was straightforward; get rid of Perardi, pay off the debt.—
Matthew Bremner,
Rolling Stone,
11 Feb. 2026
-
If so, keep it straightforward with east-facing for sunrise and west-facing for sunsets.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Henry Ford, but for housing If the goal is to bring down building costs, rethinking the basics of the construction process is an obvious place to start.—
Ben Christopher,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The imminent launch got less obvious cues throughout the show, too.—
James Manso,
Footwear News,
14 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
The opportunity wasn’t lost on Shula, the rock-solid legend who sat afterward at his locker, openly crying, in a manner that stunned Dolphins personnel.—
Dave Hyde,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Online, conservatives have threatened to boycott the Super Bowl and the NFL more broadly, with influential voices like Newsmax host Greg Kelly and Tomi Lahren openly criticizing the league for choosing Bad Bunny as the performer.—
Lisa Respers France,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Saturday’s program will cover key aspects of the lab’s organization, the village of Weston that once occupied part of the site, science, art and the lab’s natural areas, including Fermilab’s prairie restoration and growing bison herd, museum officials said.—
Aurora Beacon-News,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Once out of the prairie in western Minnesota, the scenery got more conventional, with more towns, as well as larger cities.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The 100-light-year-wide expanse of the Rosette Nebula is estimated to have a staggering mass the equivalent to 10,000 suns and has been sculpted and eroded by the radiation from nearby stars.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Here, though The Unknown touches on many of the same expanse of themes — there’s a recurring beat, which Hayes plays well, on the loneliness of being a gay man of a certain age — Cale’s construction is tidier and neater.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plain. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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