straightforward
Americanadjective
-
going or directed straight ahead.
a straightforward gaze.
-
not roundabout or evasive; direct.
straightforward criticism;
a straightforward approach to a problem.
-
free from ambiguity; clear.
straightforward instructions.
-
free from crookedness or deceit; honest.
straightforward in one's dealings.
- Antonyms:
- devious
adverb
adjective
-
(of a person) honest, frank, or simple
-
(of a task, etc) simple; easy
adverb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of straightforward
Explanation
Straightforward means direct in your approach. When you have a favor to ask of a friend, don't beat around the bush––say what you need in a straightforward way. If you want to propose marriage, you might go for the straightforward approach, saying, "Want to get married?" over dinner. Straightforward can also mean honest. If you have straightforward intentions, it means you're upfront about what you're trying to do.
Vocabulary lists containing straightforward
Nothing But the Truth
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And Then There Were None
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The Perks of Being a Wallflower
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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.
Convincing Malard's mother to let her daughter move nearly 6,000 miles from home was not straightforward - but Bompastor had a plan for the phone call.
From BBC ● Nov. 14, 2026
Woodward objects over his “quite sinister” spin, protesting, “There is no trap. I believe my approach is straightforward and my manner forthright. I want your take on this information I have. What am I missing?”
From Slate ● Nov. 12, 2026
But don’t mistake those relatively straightforward appointments for evidence that the Part D marketplace is simple.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 12, 2026
Chu's team demonstrated that its architecture can handle both relatively straightforward calculations and more demanding quantum operations.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 12, 2026
That didn’t sound like John, and she knew he was looking up at her with the straightforward look that she had always been ready to meet and answer with one as frank till now.
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
