1
as in openly
in an honest and direct manner
you'll have to tell your relatives very plainly that you don't like perfume, or they'll keep giving it to you
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in certainly
without any question
your wife is plainly upset that you didn't invite her to the game with us
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of plainly
This is a day for speaking plainly and clearing up lingering misunderstandings.
—
Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 11 Mar. 2026
Quincy Magoo could plainly see that Darnell Nurse knocked Nathan MacKinnon straight into Connor Ingram’s noggin.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 11 Mar. 2026
Andruw Jones had put it plainly before first pitch.
—Noah Gulley, Miami Herald, 8 Mar. 2026
Fernández addressed it plainly afterward, pointing to the giveaways as the separator in a game that got away from his team early and never came back.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 5 Mar. 2026
Speak plainly so plans align and momentum returns for everyone.
—Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Feb. 2026
Councilman Steve Thoren put it more plainly.
—Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
Related Stories Giovanni Dolci, Imax’s chief commercial officer, describes the shift plainly.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 27 Feb. 2026
Like most of his late fiction it is written plainly, yet it is shot through with passages that recall his most passionate work.
—Literary Hub, 26 Feb. 2026
Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 11 Mar. 2026
Quincy Magoo could plainly see that Darnell Nurse knocked Nathan MacKinnon straight into Connor Ingram’s noggin.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 11 Mar. 2026
Andruw Jones had put it plainly before first pitch.
—Noah Gulley, Miami Herald, 8 Mar. 2026
Fernández addressed it plainly afterward, pointing to the giveaways as the separator in a game that got away from his team early and never came back.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 5 Mar. 2026
Speak plainly so plans align and momentum returns for everyone.
—Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Feb. 2026
Councilman Steve Thoren put it more plainly.
—Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
Related Stories Giovanni Dolci, Imax’s chief commercial officer, describes the shift plainly.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 27 Feb. 2026
Like most of his late fiction it is written plainly, yet it is shot through with passages that recall his most passionate work.
—Literary Hub, 26 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plainly
Adverb
-
Davie spoke very freely and openly ahead of his exit.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
12 Mar. 2026
-
This was back in the days when Ross openly talked, even joked with the media, back in a time when things were funny.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
12 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Stack is the sly and cunning one, chatty and quick to grin, unlike his brother, yet certainly with things weighing on him as well.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Sometimes the coat is the outfit, and this one certainly meets the moment.—
Minty Mellon,
Vogue,
16 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
The back support was there, and as someone who’s five eleven, that was sincerely appreciated.—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Play sincerely, and let joy lead your craft.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
7 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Other players considering San Diego State would surely notice.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Sabalenka surely will be looking to avenge that one as well as her 0-2 record in Indian Wells finales.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
For readers who are ambivalent, prospective, prickly, curious, on the fence, or just plain interested in what’s possible.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Same story with a lot of our old tech that felt too slow, too cramped, or just plain dull.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
13 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
The most eye-catching part, however, is definitely a large flower made of fabric that sprouts out of the shoulder.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Coming off the bench for Leo and stepping onto the court on the big stage at state, Elon Henderson definitely felt some nerves.—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
After using it, my scalp honestly felt so clean and refreshed.—
Catharine Malzahn,
Glamour,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Anyone assessing the Giants’ free agent signings honestly to date can’t say with certainty that this team has gotten better, outside of the Likely and punter Jordan Stout signings.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
17 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
The school was clearly labeled as such in online maps and has an easily accessible website full of information about students, teachers and administrators.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Offensively, the Cowboys were clearly comfortable seeing TCU’s style of defense for a third time.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plainly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plainly. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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