straightforward
Americanadjective
-
going or directed straight ahead.
a straightforward gaze.
-
not roundabout or evasive; direct.
straightforward criticism;
a straightforward approach to a problem.
-
free from ambiguity; clear.
straightforward instructions.
-
free from crookedness or deceit; honest.
straightforward in one's dealings.
- Antonyms:
- devious
adverb
adjective
-
(of a person) honest, frank, or simple
-
(of a task, etc) simple; easy
adverb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of straightforward
Explanation
Straightforward means direct in your approach. When you have a favor to ask of a friend, don't beat around the bush––say what you need in a straightforward way. If you want to propose marriage, you might go for the straightforward approach, saying, "Want to get married?" over dinner. Straightforward can also mean honest. If you have straightforward intentions, it means you're upfront about what you're trying to do.
Vocabulary lists containing straightforward
Nothing But the Truth
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And Then There Were None
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The Perks of Being a Wallflower
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Nithya Raman emerged as the clear loser of the debate, struggling to articulate coherent responses and repeatedly exceeding time limits when answering straightforward questions.
From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026
"I learned that research is rarely a straightforward process, often requiring persistence and creative problem solving during the course of a research project," Buchalter said.
From Science Daily • May 4, 2026
Getting your money back for future flights isn’t always straightforward, but your credit-card company may be your best line of defense.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 2, 2026
For some people, the decision to take a hardship withdrawal is straightforward: They need money for an emergency.
From MarketWatch • May 1, 2026
If he’d known how this straightforward Recon assignment was going to turn out, he would probably have retired then and there.
From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
