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
- straightforwardly adverb
- straightforwardness noun
- unstraightforward adjective
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.
For many students, the best path might involve transferring, though the process may not be straightforward.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026
But turning that idea into policy is not straightforward.
From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026
In classical physics, the idea of memory is straightforward.
From Science Daily • Apr. 14, 2026
Military demand is the most straightforward and the most mature.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026
The only ones who appeared to understand the rules were the vachettes themselves, whose instructions seemed pretty straightforward: attack, attack, attack.
From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris
Definitions 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.
