PLAINLY Synonyms: 91 Similar and Opposite Words

plainly

adverb

Definition of plainly

as in openly

in an honest and direct manner you'll have to tell your relatives very plainly that you don't like perfume, or they'll keep giving it to you

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in certainly

without any question your wife is plainly upset that you didn't invite her to the game with us

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of plainly At issue are a raft of local and state laws that, in one side’s reading, plainly state that the city allows a maximum of three terms, which bars Altamirano from serving on the council again. — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026 Set the agenda, define who owns what, and say the main point plainly. — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 26 Aug. 2026 This year’s ‘The Future Of… Creativity’ brings together people who have given their lives to storytelling, to talk plainly about what this moment means for the craft and for the people who love it. — Ellise Shafer, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026 Pisces February 19 – March 20 A close relationship gets easier when the next step is named plainly. — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 25 Aug. 2026 State your aim plainly, then pick the next step that shows integrity and keeps momentum steady without overpromising. — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026 And because City Hall has now put its full weight behind it, someone needs to say plainly what the legislation actually does before the Council votes on a promise instead of a policy. — Jessica Walker, New York Daily News, 24 Aug. 2026 And what about a player whose first caution was plainly wrong, but who then receives a second? — Graham Scott, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026 The only other object that was plainly visible in the sky was Venus, well off to the upper left of the eclipsed sun. — Joe Rao, Space.com, 20 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for plainly

Adverb

The Tate brothers, who openly describe themselves as misogynists, built a global following by promoting a lavish, hypermasculine lifestyle through their social media empire.

— Jonny Hallam, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
The Combating Terrorism Center at West Point reports that veteran foreign jihadists now openly call al-Sharaa a sellout.

— Jason M. Blazakis, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of openly

Adverb

Future events will always weigh heavy on any prequel, but surely stories have a responsibility to better acknowledge that viewers know what's coming.

— Richard Edwards, Space.com, 27 Aug. 2026
Whoever winds up playing Parton on Broadway surely has some enormous rhinestone boots to fill.

— Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of surely

Adverb

Where once there were just plain old cherry or grape tomatoes, now there are Sugar Bombs, and Flavor Bombs, and Lolli Bombs and Sprinkles.

— Kenny Malone, NPR, 28 Aug. 2026
At Target, The Washington Post reported during the 2026 season that a plain clear plastic pencil case ran $4.

— Ashley Lynch, Charlotte Observer, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of plain

Adverb

Issa doesn’t really want to sleep with Anton, and Anton definitely doesn’t want to sleep with Issa, but both of them do want to sleep with Paul Baker.

— Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
The video was definitely a hit, but for a parent, that much attention can bring mixed emotions, especially when some of the reactions include praise but others are not so kind.

— Owen Carry, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of definitely

Adverb

For years, the SEC and CFTC had not settled that question clearly enough for the market to move with confidence, creating friction when there was none to begin with.

— Manny Khan, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Insofar as these drawings depart from previous works, they were clearly made for a new reason.

— Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of clearly

Browse Nearby Words

plain Janes

plainly

plainness

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“Plainly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plainly. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of plainly

adverb

Example Sentences

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