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as in stupid
not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily don't be so quick to characterize people who have trouble with computers as simple

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective simple contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of simple are easy, effortless, facile, light, and smooth. While all these words mean "not demanding effort or involving difficulty," simple stresses ease in understanding or dealing with because complication is absent.

a simple problem in arithmetic

When could easy be used to replace simple?

The meanings of easy and simple largely overlap; however, easy is applicable either to persons or things imposing tasks or to activity required by such tasks.

an easy college course

In what contexts can effortless take the place of simple?

While the synonyms effortless and simple are close in meaning, effortless stresses the appearance of ease and usually implies the prior attainment of artistry or expertness.

moving with effortless grace

How are the words facile and easy related as synonyms of simple?

Facile often adds to easy the connotation of undue haste or shallowness.

facile answers to complex questions

When is light a more appropriate choice than simple?

Although the words light and simple have much in common, light stresses freedom from what is burdensome.

a light teaching load

When is it sensible to use smooth instead of simple?

The synonyms smooth and simple are sometimes interchangeable, but smooth stresses the absence or removal of all difficulties, hardships, or obstacles.

a smooth ride

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 simple The reason for this is simple: Netanyahu not only presided over the worst security failure in Israel’s history but has actively governed against the will of the country’s majority. Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2025 Hailing a ride to space is not as simple as opening up Uber on your phone, but sharing rides offers a more cost-effective way to launch small satellites like PUNCH. Ars Technica, 13 Mar. 2025 Over a simple club beat and some brassy horns on the chorus, the rapper narrates a particularly wild night out, all while still maintaining his status as a force to be reckoned with in the music industry. Stephen Daw, Billboard, 13 Mar. 2025 No code is needed to get started, as a simple click below will activate this offer. Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 13 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for simple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for simple
Adjective
  • Personal style is all about texture, and so for me, adding texture through an accessory, like a leather belt or gold jewelry, helps make your outfits feel less plain.
    Sam Reed, Glamour, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Food rationing in the U.K. only ended in 1954, when Twiggy was 5 years old, and her generation lived on simple, plain home cooking.
    Samantha Conti, WWD, 14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Students whose tests began no later than 8:36 a.m. with standard timing (2 hours and 24 minutes) would have completed their exams before the 11:00 a.m. cutoff and thus were unaffected.
    Scott White, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
  • Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said that critical safety positions were unaffected.
    Ross Rosenfeld, Newsweek, 26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • This can provide significant advantages over today’s best mini-LED TVs, including higher brightness, less blooming (light bleed around bright images), and purer, more accurate colors.
    Ryan Waniata, WIRED, 13 Mar. 2025
  • Blanchett, meanwhile, continues her reign among the cadre of actresses who work with their stylists — in this case, Elizabeth Stewart — to craft a collection of press-run looks that extend beyond pure glamour in their talking points.
    Laurie Brookins, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • It’s been a dream for a lot of us to finally see our favorite super robots in a modern, easy to get into yet competitive one-on-one fighting game.
    Ollie Barder, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
  • These groups are color-coded by difficulty level: yellow (easiest), green, blue, and purple (hardest).
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The actor plays Lochlan Ratliff, the naive son of Timothy and Victoria, who gets swept away in his family’s crazy antics.
    Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 16 Mar. 2025
  • Nearly all parents experience something akin to his naive desire, a wish to give their kid the future of their dreams while shielding them from pain and disappointment.
    Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Musk’s blind and ignorant closing of USAID has blacked out our billboard to the world of what America is about.
    Llewellyn King, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Feb. 2025
  • For one thing, Overstreet seemed set on portraying Black history in a way that was neither overly dour nor entirely ignorant of past violence.
    Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 4 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • When Luca pulls a gun on him, ordering him to drive, Spencer quickly disarms him and then slaps him for the stupid move.
    Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 9 Mar. 2025
  • Indexing gives you a better chance to ‘be less stupid.’ — Investment advisor Barry Ritholtz Those dismal statistics come to us via the latest annual SPIVA scorecard (the acronym stands for Standard and Poor’s Index vs. Active).
    Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Seven vital missile batteries The two SAMP/Ts and six Patriots the Ukrainian air force currently operates should, in theory, provide slightly more than the bare minimum of long-range air-defense coverage of the biggest Ukrainian cities.
    David Axe, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
  • But learning how to properly feed your baby is the absolute bare minimum.
    Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 11 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Simple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/simple. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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