simple sentence

American  

noun

1. a sentence having only one clause, as I saw her the day before yesterday.

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simple sentence British  

noun

1. a sentence consisting of a single main clause Compare compound sentence complex sentence

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simple sentence Cultural  

1. A sentence containing only one independent clause and no dependent clauses: “He went home after class.” (Compare complex sentence, compound sentence, and compound-complex sentence.)

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Compare meaning

How does simple-sentence compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• simple sentence vs. compound sentence

Example Sentences

And he sums himself up with one simple sentence.

From BBC • Dec. 4, 2025

Just like that, a simple sentence out of the blue that blindsided me.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 14, 2025

Each word felt heavy on my tongue as I labored through the simple sentence, stunned by the glow that surrounded her.

From Salon • Nov. 12, 2023

You can combine short, repetitive sentences into a simple sentence with a compound predicate or subject, as in the first example below.

From Textbooks • Dec. 21, 2021

This abjectly simple sentence seemed to disturb Franny rather more than a continued silence would have.

From "Franny and Zooey" by J. D. Salinger