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
Say the kind thing plainly, then follow it with timing, details, or a small plan that lets the opening become real.
—
Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 9 June 2026
The team plainly had no business there.
—Leander Schaerlaeckens
june 8, Literary Hub, 8 June 2026
One display shows two Georgia O’Keeffe paintings and a Helen Torr canvas side-by-side with a large septarian nodule (a geological concretion combining mudstone, limestone, and other minerals) that plainly resembles the artworks.
—Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 8 June 2026
The short thesis, stated plainly The arithmetic of the buildout is unforgiving.
—Bhaskar Chakravorti, Fortune, 7 June 2026
This is demonstrated quite plainly in this twisty sci-fi horror thriller from producer Zach Cregger, who previously directed 2022's Barbarian.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 5 June 2026
Keep the ask simple, name the concern plainly, and leave room for people to respond without cornering them.
—Pubsubhub User, Baltimore Sun, 4 June 2026
The bill would also dramatically reduce congressional oversight that the Secret Service so plainly needs.
—Patrick Eddington, Oc Register, 1 June 2026
The Order is inconsistent with a legitimate exercise of investigative authority and is plainly incompatible with the First Amendment.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 28 May 2026
Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 9 June 2026
The team plainly had no business there.
—Leander Schaerlaeckens
june 8, Literary Hub, 8 June 2026
One display shows two Georgia O’Keeffe paintings and a Helen Torr canvas side-by-side with a large septarian nodule (a geological concretion combining mudstone, limestone, and other minerals) that plainly resembles the artworks.
—Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 8 June 2026
The short thesis, stated plainly The arithmetic of the buildout is unforgiving.
—Bhaskar Chakravorti, Fortune, 7 June 2026
This is demonstrated quite plainly in this twisty sci-fi horror thriller from producer Zach Cregger, who previously directed 2022's Barbarian.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 5 June 2026
Keep the ask simple, name the concern plainly, and leave room for people to respond without cornering them.
—Pubsubhub User, Baltimore Sun, 4 June 2026
The bill would also dramatically reduce congressional oversight that the Secret Service so plainly needs.
—Patrick Eddington, Oc Register, 1 June 2026
The Order is inconsistent with a legitimate exercise of investigative authority and is plainly incompatible with the First Amendment.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 28 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plainly
Adverb
-
Pimentel argued the school failed to intervene despite students openly discussing the security guard's behavior.—
Peter D'Oench,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
-
That includes making the connection between gender-balanced leadership and business results explicit, ensuring women have a seat at the table in core decision-making roles, and sharing progress openly with employees, investors, and prospective hires.—
Liz Elting,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Adverb
-
The better offense is almost certainly the Diamondbacks, but the better pitcher is on the Reds side.—
David Troy OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2026
-
Swift has certainly had a busy week.—
Meg Walters,
InStyle,
14 June 2026
Adverb
-
The stories are sincerely hilarious.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 June 2026
-
Museums are sincerely trying to connect with their publics (even if these are often cast as consumers), and the horizon for that experiment is almost limitless.—
Katy Siegel,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
Adverb
-
If the title of this documentary isn't enough to sell you on it, the highly entertaining story therein surely will.—
Katie Rife,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 June 2026
-
This summer brings so much focus on a generation of legendary players who will surely be making their final appearances on the world stage.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
13 June 2026
Adverb
-
Roasted carrots with a little oil unlock more vitamin A than steamed carrots eaten plain.—
Allison Palmer
Updated June 13,
Sacbee.com,
13 June 2026
-
To me that’s not a rewrite job — that’s just plain lying.—
Bea L. Hines,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2026
Adverb
-
That means no more security updates, patches, or tech support, so now’s definitely the time to finally upgrade.—
StackCommerce Team,
PC Magazine,
12 June 2026
-
What’s definitely cool is the fact that the monocoque frame, swingarm, fork, and rims are all made entirely of carbon fiber.—
Utkarsh Sood
June 12,
New Atlas,
12 June 2026
Adverb
-
The possibilities felt endless and, honestly, overwhelming.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
8 June 2026
-
That story of American exceptionalism deserves to be told honestly and proudly.—
Kathy Szeliga,
Baltimore Sun,
8 June 2026
Adverb
-
The whole episode is a reminder to product designers everywhere that users can be extremely sensitive to the seemingly smallest changes — and Spotify clearly had not anticipated that a teeny-tiny disco ball drop would prove to be unpopular.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
12 June 2026
-
In the video, which has been viewed by NBC News, the car can be seen clearly coming to a stop.—
Sarah Dean,
NBC news,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plainly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plainly. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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