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plain
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- pronunciation:
- pleIn
- parts of speech:
- adjective, adverb, noun
- features:
- Word Combinations (adjective, noun), Homophone Note, Word Explorer
| part of speech: |
adjective |
| inflections: |
plainer, plainest |
| definition 1: |
easily perceived by the eye or ear; clear; unobstructed.
We have a plain view of the lake from our window.- synonyms:
- apparent, clear, clear-cut, distinct, evident, manifest, obvious, unobstructed, visible
- antonyms:
- obscure, unclear
- similar words:
- broad, conspicuous, discernible, noticeable, perceivable, perceptible, unconcealed, unmistakable
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| definition 2: |
clearly perceivable or understandable; distinctly evident.
It was plain to all of us that she was very upset.He didn't express it in words, but his meaning was quite plain.- synonyms:
- apparent, clear, distinct, evident, manifest, obvious, unmistakable, visible
- antonyms:
- abstruse, unapparent, unclear
- similar words:
- broad, clear-cut, comprehensible, discernible, explicit, intelligible, ostensive, palpable, perceptible, straightforward, understandable
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| definition 3: |
not complicated or elaborate; without extra additions; simple.
How can you eat plain toast?Her sister's wedding dress had had a great deal of lace and decoration, but hers was simple and plain.- synonyms:
- bare, simple, stark, unadorned, unembellished
- antonyms:
- elaborate, fancy, florid, flowery, gaudy, high-flown, ornate, sumptuous
- similar words:
- austere, bald, chaste, commonplace, homely, homespun, literal, modest, naked, ordinary, primitive, sober, uncomplicated, unostentatious, unpretentious, unsophisticated, unvarnished
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| definition 4: |
sincere and open; frank.
Let me be plain with you.- synonyms:
- frank, genuine, ingenuous, open, plain-spoken, sincere, straightforward
- similar words:
- candid, direct, explicit, forthright, guileless, homely, matter-of-fact, outspoken
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| definition 5: |
not attractive or striking in appearance.
Her face was rather plain without makeup.- synonyms:
- homely
- antonyms:
- attractive, handsome, pretty, showy
- similar words:
- ill-favored, mousy, unattractive
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| definition 6: |
sheer; utter.
What you just said is plain nonsense!They're making their choice out of plain ignorance.That is nothing but a plain lie!- synonyms:
- arrant, categorical, downright, out-and-out, outright, patent, plumb, unmitigated, utter
- similar words:
- absolute, blatant, complete, palpable, sheer, thoroughgoing, total
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| related words: |
artless, bare, black, blank, blunt, brutal, certain, elementary, emphatic, frank, informal, limpid, lowly, naked, nondescript, nude, overt, patent, pronounced, raw, round, routine, severe, simple, straight, transparent, ugly, very |
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| part of speech: |
adverb |
| definition: |
simply; undeniably.
He's plain wrong about that.That idea is just plain stupid.- synonyms:
- clearly, flat, incontestable, indisputable, simply, undeniably, unquestionably
- similar words:
- certainly, definitely, distinctly, doubtless, doubtlessly, flat-out, positively, surely
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| part of speech: |
noun |
| definition: |
(sometimes pl.) a large, flat area of land sometimes covered with long grass but usually with few or no trees.
Buffalo roamed the western plains.- synonyms:
- champaign, flatland, prairie
- similar words:
- grassland, llano, lowland, moor, pampas, steppe, tableland, tundra
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| related words: |
bush, flat, level |
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| derivations: |
plainly (adv.), plainness (n.) |
Are you looking for the word plane? Plain and plane sound alike but have different meanings.
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some animals that live on plains |
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antelope, bear, bison, cheetah, deer, gazelle, giraffe, gnu, horse, hyena, impala, lion, mustang, prairie dog, zebra |
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some kinds of plains |
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prairie, savanna, tundra |
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some plants that live on plains |
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grass, sagebrush |
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