plain 1 of 3

adjective

ˈplān How to pronounce plain (audio)
Definition of plainnext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

plain

2 of 3

adverb

as in openly
in an honest and direct manner told her plain that he loved her

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

plain

3 of 3

noun

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

Synonym Chooser

How is the word plain distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of plain are candid, frank, and open. While all these words mean "showing willingness to tell what one feels or thinks," plain suggests outspokenness and freedom from affectation or subtlety in expression.

plain talk

When could candid be used to replace plain?

Although the words candid and plain have much in common, candid suggests expression marked by sincerity and honesty especially in offering unwelcome criticism or opinion.

a candid appraisal

When might frank be a better fit than plain?

In some situations, the words frank and plain are roughly equivalent. However, frank stresses lack of shyness or secretiveness or of evasiveness from considerations of tact or expedience.

frank discussions

How does the word open relate to other synonyms for plain?

Open implies frankness but suggests more indiscretion than frank and less earnestness than candid.

open in saying what they think

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of plain
Adjective
None of this math works in favor of the DSA and against incumbents without a basic message from a candidate that lands, and here, too, the answer was hiding in plain sight. — Bradley Honan, New York Daily News, 28 June 2026 With head coach Thomas Tuchel also renowned for his plain speaking, many are seeing this approach as a potential factor in England ending their long wait for a follow-up success to their triumph in the competition in 1966. — Roger Trapp, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Adverb
Yet the wilderness is just plain green, a meeting spot for people of all backgrounds and political views, from deer hunters to biologists, bass fishermen to poets. — Nicholas D. Kristof, Mercury News, 3 July 2026 But nothing is at a significant disadvantage or plain unusable because of Artifact champion mod choice. — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
Noun
Over the past decade, the BPSSS has worked hard to plant trees and set up bird platforms across the flat agricultural plain of northern Serbia. — ABC News, 30 June 2026 Her father farmed grain along the bottomlands near Columbia, in the broad flood plain the Mississippi River spent millennia claiming and reclaiming as its own. — Alfredo Sosa, Christian Science Monitor, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for plain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plain
  1. simple
  2. pure
  3. outspoken
  4. straightforward
  5. obvious
  6. openly
  7. prairie
  8. expanse
Adjective
  • As for the volunteers, the goal is simple—help someone stay safe before the heat turns into an emergency.
    — Marissa Sulek, CBS News, 1 July 2026
  • Evidence for at-home tools is thinner than for professional manual drainage, but the simplest options can offer mild circulation and surface-lymph support at a low price.
    — Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 30 June 2026
Definition of simple
Adjective
  • The World Cup visitors being blown away by all that is America is pure entertainment.
    — Sean Joseph OutKick, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026
  • Post-split, one Comcast entity will be a pure-play entertainment content company, with NBCUniversal and Sky assets, while the other company will be a leading broadband, cable and wireless provider.
    — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 30 June 2026
Definition of pure
Adjective
  • The experience of Jack Ma illustrates the limits imposed on entrepreneurs who become too powerful or politically outspoken.
    — Rainer Zitelmann, Fortune, 2 July 2026
  • The fact his reputation around the league points to him being outspoken cooled his value.
    — Tony Jones, New York Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of outspoken
Adjective
  • Compared with platforms that emphasize community groups or compatibility questionnaires, OurTime focuses primarily on helping older adults browse profiles, discover potential matches, and communicate with other members in a straightforward format.
    — Matthew Kayser Updated July 6, Miami Herald, 6 July 2026
  • The musical’s overture gives you a sense of the complexity that’s needed to make seeming simple and straightforward material really soar.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 6 July 2026
Definition of straightforward
Adjective
  • The teenage phenom is able to complement his obvious technical skills with a flair and maturity in high-pressure situations that is well beyond his years.
    — Ashley Mowreader, NBC news, 3 July 2026
  • This was most obvious during Swift's record-breaking Eras Tour, when brands capitalized on all things Taylor — friendship bracelets, themed drinks and even concert outfits.
    — Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of obvious
Adverb
  • Both of the soon-to-be newlyweds have talked openly about wanting to have kids.
    — Bryan West, USA Today, 4 July 2026
  • On top of that, Kelce appeared on the cover of GQ magazine and spoke openly about his and Swift’s relationship for the first time with a major publication.
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 3 July 2026
Definition of openly
Noun
  • There are flag sweaters and skate sneakers and prairie skirts; there are Cheyanne moccasins and Mennonite bonnets and the not-quite-holy Yankees baseball cap.
    — Faran Krentcil, InStyle, 1 July 2026
  • Royce Ben Jameson was arrested on suspicion of the offense of firing woods or prairie and third-degree criminal trespass.
    — Jennifer McRae, CBS News, 1 July 2026
Definition of prairie
Noun
  • The cosmos may be rich creative terrain, but Muse deal with the terrifying, destabilizing fact of the universe’s infinite expanse by simply trying to fill it up.
    — Liam Inscoe-Jones, Pitchfork, 1 July 2026
  • In the 19th and early 20th centuries, towns exploded across the Piedmont, an expanse of rolling hills sandwiched between the Appalachian Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean.
    — Amethyst Ganaway, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 July 2026
Definition of expanse

Browse Nearby Words

plaided
plain
plainclothesman
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Plain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plain. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on plain

Nglish: Translation of plain for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about plain

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All