NO-FRILLS Synonyms: 19 Similar and Opposite Words

no-frills

adjective

ˈnō-ˈfrilz

Definition of no-frills

as in spartan

providing only the essentials and nothing fancy or luxurious a low-cost, no-frills vacation during which we camped out and cooked our own meals

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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 no-frills The University of California Cooperative Extension set up a no-frills website called Match. — Ingfei Chen, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2026 Despite being relatively minimal compared to today’s top running shoes, the Zoom Skylon 11 manages to pack a fair amount of tech in an otherwise no-frills build. — Riley Jones, Footwear News, 2 Sep. 2026 Probably not, but this Switch 2 exclusive is a no-frills co-op smorgasbord that’s delightful from start to finish. — George Yang, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026 This no-frills version is made with just 3 ingredients, just like Grandma does. — Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for no-frills

Recent Examples of Synonyms for no-frills

Adjective

Anderson matches his subject’s reticence with a similarly spartan approach.

— Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026
Obviously, you're held in this really small space, spartan conditions.

— ABC News, ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026

Definition of spartan

Adjective

That single choice unleashes a harrowing chain of strange and terrifying events in the dead of night, turning a simple gesture of kindness into a real-life nightmare.

— Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 5 Oct. 2026
Waffles and pimento Another enduring element of Chick-fil-A is its famously simple menu.

— Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of simple

Adjective

But de Havilland, who netted two Oscars for her work in the 1940s classics To Each His Own and The Heiress, was more austere.

— Rance Collins, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Sep. 2026
The pieces look back to Minimalism, whose austere surfaces and heavy industrial materials menace viewers with the possibility of death and doom.

— Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of austere

Browse Nearby Words

noetic

no-frills

noggin

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“No-frills.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/no-frills. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of no-frills

adjective

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