simple

American  

[sim-puhl] / ˈsɪm pəl /

adjective

simpler, comparative simplest superlative

1. easy to understand, deal with, use, etc.: simple tools.

   a simple matter;

   simple tools.

   Synonyms:

   lucid, unmistakable, understandable, intelligible, clear

2. not elaborate or artificial; plain.

   a simple style.

   Synonyms:

   neat, unembellished, natural

3. not ornate or luxurious; unadorned.

   a simple gown.

4. unaffected; unassuming; modest.

   a simple manner.

5. not complicated.

   a simple design.

6. not complex or compound; single

7. occurring or considered alone; mere; bare.

   the simple truth;

   a simple fact.

8. free of deceit or guile; sincere; unconditional.

   a frank, simple answer.

   Synonyms:

   ingenuous, guileless, artless

9. common or ordinary.

   a simple soldier.

10. not grand or sophisticated; unpretentious.

    a simple way of life.

11. humble or lowly.

    simple folk.

12. inconsequential or rudimentary.

    Synonyms:

    unnecessary, nonessential, trivial, trifling

13. unlearned; ignorant.

    Synonyms:

    stupid, untutored

14. lacking mental acuteness or sense.

    a simple way of thinking.

15. unsophisticated; naive; credulous.

16. simpleminded.

17. Chemistry.

    1. composed of only one substance or element.

       a simple substance.

    2. not mixed.

18. Botany. not divided into parts: a simple stem.

    a simple leaf;

    a simple stem.

19. Zoology. not compound.

    a simple ascidian.

20. Music. uncompounded or without overtones; single.

    simple tone.

21. Grammar. having only the head without modifying elements included.

    The simple subject of “The dappled pony gazed over the fence” is “pony.”

22. (of a verb tense) consisting of a main verb with no auxiliaries, as takes (simple present) or stood (simple past) (opposed to compound).

23. Mathematics. linear.

24. Optics. (of a lens) having two optical surfaces only.

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noun

1. an ignorant, foolish, or gullible person.

2. something simple, unmixed, or uncompounded.

3. Textiles. simples, cords for controlling the warp threads in forming the shed on draw-looms.

4. a person of humble origins; commoner.

5. an herb or other plant used for medicinal purposes.

   country simples.

simple British  

/ ˈsɪmpəl /

adjective

1. not involved or complicated; easy to understand or do

   a simple problem

2. plain; unadorned

   a simple dress

3. consisting of one element or part only; not combined or complex

   a simple mechanism

4. unaffected or unpretentious

   although he became famous, he remained a simple and well-liked man

5. not guileful; sincere; frank

   her simple explanation was readily accepted

6. of humble condition or rank

   the peasant was of simple birth

7. weak in intelligence; feeble-minded

8. (prenominal) without additions or modifications; mere

   the witness told the simple truth

9. (prenomina) ordinary or straightforward

   a simple case of mumps

10. chem (of a substance or material) consisting of only one chemical compound rather than a mixture of compounds

11. maths

    1. (of a fraction) containing only integers

    2. (of an equation) containing variables to the first power only; linear

    3. (of a root of an equation) occurring only once; not multiple

12. biology

    1. not divided into parts

       a simple leaf

       a simple eye

    2. formed from only one ovary

       simple fruit

13. music relating to or denoting a time where the number of beats per bar may be two, three, or four

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noun

1. a simpleton; fool

2. a plant, esp a herbaceous plant, having medicinal properties

simple Idioms  

1. see pure and simple.

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Usage

What is a basic definition of simple? Simple describes something as being easy to understand or do, as being plain or not elaborate, or as being ordinary or common. The word simple has many other senses as an adjective and a noun. If something is simple, it involves little challenge or will be really easy. For example, counting to five is a simple task for most adults. Spoons and forks are simple eating tools, without any complex parts. In this sense, simple is a synonym of words such as easy and uncomplicated. Real-life examples: Young students start with simple subjects, such as addition, before learning harder ones, such as multiplication. An untied shoelace is a simple problem to solve for most adults. Most young people find using a computer to be really simple. Used in a sentence: I made dinner with a simple recipe designed for new cooks. Another sense of simple describes something as being plain and lacking flourishes or embellishments. For example, a simple shirt may be plain grey or white and not have any designs or logos on it. Used in a sentence: She wore a simple dress to the birthday party, with no bows or ruffles.  Simple can also describe something as being ordinary, mundane, or humble. Real-life examples: Most pets lead simple lives of eating and sleeping. Some couples have simple weddings with no band, fireworks, or colorful decorations. A simple job is one you can do without thinking hard. Used in a sentence: After winning the championship, I retired to live a simple life as a farmer.

Commonly Confused

See simplistic.

Synonym Usage

See homely.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• oversimpleness
  noun
• simpleness
  noun
• unsimpleness
  noun
• oversimple
  adjective
• subsimple
  adjective
• ultrasimple
  adjective
• unsimple
  adjective
• oversimply
  adverb
• unsimply
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Adjectives

• simpler
  comparative
• simplest
  superlative

Etymology

Origin of simple

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English adjective simple, simpel(le), from Old French simple, sinple, from Latin simplus “simple” (in simpla pecunia “simple fee or sum”), equivalent to sim- “one” + -plus, as in duplus “double”; Middle English noun “commoner,” derivative of the adjective; see simplex, duple, double; see also -fold; cognate with Greek háplos ( see haplo-);

Explanation

Simple refers to something that's easy and uncomplicated, without too many steps to follow. Simple comes from the Latin word for single (simplus). Simple things are often solo, like a simple dress or directions with one step. A teacher might advise you to KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid). What could be bad about a word for something easy? Well, it's not that simple. It can be an insult. If you call your little brother simple when he can't tie his shoes, you mean he isn't very smart. Rude!

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

simple simpler simplest

They want simple answers to simple questions, which is not what the true study of history — and America — offers.

From Salon ● Jul. 23, 2026

Lugo’s George has a simple affability that’s infectious.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026

Its premise—the first, disastrous encounter between a family of placid Neanderthals and a ruthless “new people,” Homo sapiens—is simple, though its execution is anything but.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

The reel he posted later showed white smoke drifting across the street beneath a simple caption: "Delhi Police doesn't realise I'm from Jamuna Paar."

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

And then it was a simple thing, almost a silly thing, that caused the change.

From "Woodsong" by Gary Paulsen

Independent analysts, however, point to a simpler explanation: Coverage became much more expensive when the extra subsidies ended, and many people either dropped coverage or never paid their first premium.

From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2026

In the view of John Campbell, senior portfolio manager at Allspring Global Investments, there’s a simpler explanation for the Magnificent Seven’s recent comeback: “safety in earnings.”

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 19, 2026

Others, like the Palmers and Ferrante, ask for something far simpler: a glimpse of what could have been.

From Slate ● Jul. 19, 2026

That possibility challenges the simpler version of marsupial evolution, in which one ancestral group gave rise to the full diversity of Australian marsupials.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 19, 2026

I considered going out the back door and climbing in my bedroom window like a burglar, but it seemed simpler to wait and see if Daddy would leave too.

From "The Lions of Little Rock" by Kristin Levine

The simplest way to escape this debt burden is to do what the U.S. did after 1945, and inflate it away.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026

And for the simplest possible showstopper, Frieda’s Hulas Ready-to-Drink Coconuts come peeled and prepped with a tool that lets you open them and insert a straw in seconds.

From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2026

But lots of savers prefer the cheapest, simplest passive funds.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026

For years, queen bees appeared to offer one of biology's simplest examples of development: special food creates a special insect.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 23, 2026

The simplest explanation, then, was that genetic information had passed between the two strains in a chemical form.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Related Words

• clean
• elementary
• plain
• quiet
• smooth
• straightforward
• transparent
• uncomplicated