no-frills

American  

[noh-frilz] / ˈnoʊˌfrɪlz /

adjective

1. providing or including basic services and necessities without any additional features or amenities.

   Food and beverages are not covered by the low no-frills airfare.

2. no-name.

3. unadorned; simple; plain; spare.

   a straightforward, no-frills package of healthcare benefits.

---

no-frills British  

adjective

1. offering only a basic service in order to keep costs low

   a no-frills airline

---

Etymology

Origin of no-frills

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

no-frills

With airlines bringing the no-frills fares to business and first class, it’s easy to overlook continuing changes in the cabin that started this madness: economy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

While “Good Day L.A.” was broadcast at Fox 11’s massive West Los Angeles studio, “So Unanchored” is a no-frills affair staged at a Canoga Park office park.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

New Zealand are settled, no-frills and battle-hardened - everything England are not.

From BBC ● Jun. 21, 2026

Before transforming Ryanair, O’Leary made a careful study of Southwest and its no-frills, high-efficiency model, featuring a single aircraft type, point-to-point flying instead of hub-and-spoke, and quick plane turnarounds between flights.

From Barron's ● May 8, 2026

Under normal circumstances, Penelope would have been surprised that the usually no-frills Miss Mortimer had chosen such an elegant restaurant for their meeting.

From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood

Related Words

• elemental
• essential
• key
• main
• necessary
• primary
• primitive
• underlying
• vital