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.
Sending a robot through pipes isn’t as straightforward as it might seem: Pipes move when the soil around them shifts, and there are blockages made of sediment that the robot must be able to navigate.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
Those caveats aside, it tells a very straightforward story.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026
The calorie count printed on a food package might seem like a straightforward measure of how much energy you will get from eating it.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2026
Athletes need clothing designed to help them compete, so reducing quantities or changing materials is not always straightforward.
From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026
It was pretty straightforward, like Ms. Keaton described, so I’m relieved.
From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali
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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.
