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.

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no-frills British  

adjective

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

   a no-frills airline

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Etymology

Origin of no-frills

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

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

Bigger carriers have outcompeted discounters by offering their own no-frills fares.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 2, 2026

"All Spirit flights have been cancelled, and Spirit Guests should not go to the airport," said the company, which had put pressure on larger airlines with its no-frills offering launched over 30 years ago.

From Barron's • May 2, 2026

Spirit Airlines is officially shutting down after a 34-run of offering cheap, no-frills flights — one that was ultimately marred by a major strategic blunder.

From MarketWatch • May 2, 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