plain
1 Americanadjective
-
plainer,
comparative
-
plainest
superlative
-
clear or distinct to the eye or ear: to stand in plain view.
a plain trail to the river;
to stand in plain view.
- Synonyms:
- perspicuous, apparent, unmistakable, intelligible, understandable, lucid
- Antonyms:
- indistinct
-
clear to the mind; evident, manifest, or obvious.
to make one's meaning plain.
- Synonyms:
- transparent, patent, unequivocal, unambiguous, perspicuous, apparent, unmistakable, intelligible, understandable, lucid
- Antonyms:
- obscure
-
conveying the meaning clearly and simply; easily understood.
plain talk.
- Synonyms:
- transparent, patent, unequivocal, unambiguous
-
downright; sheer; utter; self-evident.
plain folly;
plain stupidity.
-
free from ambiguity or evasion; candid; outspoken.
the plain truth of the matter.
- Synonyms:
- sincere, open, ingenuous, frank, blunt, direct, straightforward, unreserved
-
without special pretensions, superiority, elegance, etc.; ordinary.
plain people.
- Synonyms:
- unpretentious
-
not beautiful; physically unattractive or undistinguished.
a plain face.
-
without intricacies or difficulties.
-
ordinary, simple, or unostentatious.
Although she was a duchess, her manners were attractively plain.
-
with little or no embellishment, decoration, or enhancing elaboration.
a plain blue suit.
-
without a pattern, figure, or device.
a plain fabric.
-
not rich, highly seasoned, or elaborately prepared, as food.
a plain diet.
-
flat or level.
plain country.
- Antonyms:
- hilly
-
unobstructed, clear, or open, as ground, a space, etc.
-
Cards. being other than a face card or a trump.
adverb
noun
-
plains
plural
-
an area of land not significantly higher than adjacent areas and with relatively minor differences in elevation, commonly less than 500 feet (150 meters), within the area.
-
The Plains. Great Plains.
idioms
verb (used without object)
verb
adjective
-
flat or smooth; level
-
not complicated; clear
the plain truth
-
not difficult; simple or easy
a plain task
-
honest or straightforward
-
lowly, esp in social rank or education
-
without adornment or show
a plain coat
-
(of fabric) without pattern or of simple untwilled weave
-
not attractive
-
not mixed; simple
plain vodka
-
knitting of or done in plain
noun
-
a level or almost level tract of country, esp an extensive treeless region
-
a simple stitch in knitting made by putting the right needle into a loop on the left needle, passing the wool round the right needle, and pulling it through the loop, thus forming a new loop
-
-
the unmarked white ball, as distinguished from the spot balls
-
the player using this ball
-
-
(in Ireland) short for plain porter, a light porter
two pints of plain, please
adverb
-
An extensive, relatively level area of land. Plains are present on all continents except Antarctica and are most often located in the interior regions. Because they can occur at almost any altitude or latitude, plains can be humid and forested, semiarid and grass-covered, or arid.
-
A broad, level expanse, such as an area of the sea floor or a lunar mare.
Synonym Usage
See homely.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of plain1
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English adjective, adverb, and noun plain(e), plein(e), from Old French adjective and noun plain(e), pleine, from Latin plānus “flat, level,” plānum “flat country”
Origin of plain2
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English plei(g)nen, plene(n), from Anglo-French plainer, pleiner, Old French plaign-, stem of plaindre, pleindre, from Latin plangere “to strike, beat (the breast, etc.), lament”
Explanation
Plain things are simple, unadorned, and even a little boring. Being a plain talker means you don't use pretentious, fancy words. But having a plain face means you're not much to look at. Plain comes from the Latin word planum, meaning "level ground." That's one meaning of the word, as in a flat prairie or low lying coastal flood plain. If something is in plain view, it's out in the open with no obstructions. But usually we use plain as an adjective to describe unembellished, bare, or unimpressive things. A white room with just an old bed and a chair is pretty plain.
Vocabulary lists containing plain
Physical Geography - Introductory
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'Tis A Gift To Be Simple: Words For National Simplicity Day
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Physical Geography - Middle School
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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.
See Examples For:
The world's first US-born pontiff, who holds Peruvian citizenship, will celebrate mass on a desert plain near the Pacific Ocean, before visiting Cusco, the former Inca capital, and Pucallpa, a city in the Amazon rainforest.
From Barron's ● Nov. 1, 2026
It was this plain appeal that made me start to realize what feels good—almost calming—about Chris Pappas’ campaign.
From Slate ● Oct. 29, 2026
Participants were randomly assigned to one of three beverages: pure, unsweetened 100% cranberry juice, a cranberry juice cocktail containing 27% juice and added sugar, or plain water.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 29, 2026
Despite the perfect homecoming for Harry Kane on Monday night, the rest of the event was not plain sailing.
From BBC ● Oct. 27, 2026
Imagine, a clue of such magnitude hidden in plain sight, right on the opening pages!
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
In contrast, the far side is dominated by ancient, heavily cratered highlands, with a much thicker crust and relatively few volcanic plains.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 14, 2026
It is a Grand Anvil Chorus that these sturdy sledges are playing across the plains.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
Originating from the Americas, peppers found their way to Hungary's sun-drenched, fertile river plains around Kalocsa and Szeged in the 16th century.
From Barron's ● Oct. 4, 2026
News of the home invasion spread rapidly across the rolling plains of southwestern Oklahoma.
From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026
As far back as 3500 B.C., the Sumerians, the original inhabitants of this area, mastered irrigation and flood control to create a fertile oasis amid the sandy plains of what is now Iraq.
From "The Annotated Mona Lisa" by Carol Strickland and John Boswell
A group of participants sued, arguing that the allocation lagged plainer stock and bond funds while charging higher fees.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026
“I believe a plainer worry sits beneath the briefs and the news releases ... The issue is whether I can be trusted as a steward of Warner’s CNN,” Ellison wrote.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026
The male peacocks have the extravagant plumage to attract mates, while the females are a plainer colour.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2024
We can’t put it any plainer than he does: These assaults “are a direct result of multiple systems’ lack of appropriate resources, placements, and services” for kids in dire need.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 29, 2023
Nevertheless, the trial’s last session found a fair segment of the local Establishment seated alongside the plainer citizenry.
From "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote
In “Love and Summer,” William Trevor’s novel of doomed romance and quiet resignation, even the plainest sentence conveys roiling emotion.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 9, 2026
As she explained, the Humphreys case is “squarely among ‘the gravest and most important’ cases in which the no-impeachment rule should yield to avoid ‘violating the plainest principles of justice.’
From Slate ● Oct. 20, 2025
Mr Duck KC said: "It was the plainest of intrusions and the fear it caused was inevitable."
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2025
Most American films depicting large-scale conflicts tout an anonymous hero's role in a broader conflict, promoting the notion that the smallest, plainest person can be the difference between victory and defeat.
From Salon ● Sep. 19, 2023
I fiddle with the curly mass of my bangs and slouch down, feeling like the plainest girl ever next to the fashion plate that is Katherine Deveraux.
From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland
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