simpleadjective
uk/ˈsɪm.pəl/us/ˈsɪm.pəl/simple adjective (EASY)
A2 easy to understand or do; not difficult:
More examples
- The scheme is simple and cheap to operate.
- It's a simple dish to prepare, consisting mainly of rice and vegetables.
- The plan seemed deceptively simple .
- Encyclopedias on CD-ROM include sound, illustrations and simple animations.
- Modification of the engine to run on lead-free fuel is fairly simple.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Easiness and simplicity
- (as) easy as pie/ABC/anything/falling off a log idiom
- at the push of a button idiom
- at the stroke of a pen idiom
- be (all) downhill idiom
- be child's play idiom
- breeze
- convincing
- foolproof
- friendly
- gift
- gimme
- give/hand sth to sb on a (silver) platter idiom
- rocket science
- sail
- sail through (sth)
- sb could do sth with one arm/hand tied behind his/her back idiom
- self-explanatory
- semi-skilled
- simplicity
- sweat
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simple adjective (IMPORTANT)
B2 [ before noun ] used to describe the one important fact, truth, etc.:
More examples
- I shouted at her for the simple reason that she was rude.
- We were late for the simple reason that we overslept.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Importance - general words
- cornerstone
- focus
- grand
- gravitas
- importance
- magnitude
- meaning
- meaningful
- momentous
- proportion
- seniority
- significance
- status
- substance
- substantial
- supremacy
- transcendent
- urgent
- value
- weight
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simple adjective (PLAIN)
B1 without decoration; plain:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Plain and ordinary
- as it comes idiom
- austere
- austerity
- be a dime a dozen idiom
- be two/ten a penny idiom
- dime
- homely
- homespun
- homey
- humble
- humdrum
- kitchen-sink
- penny
- severely
- shout
- something/nothing to shout about idiom
- spartan
- stale
- stark
- starkly
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simple adjective (ONE PART)
B1 [ before noun ] having or made of only one or a few parts:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Crude and basic
- 101
- at bottom idiom
- backward
- bare
- basic
- bottom
- crude
- homespun
- low-tech
- Mickey Mouse
- primal
- primordial
- rough
- rude
- rudimentary
- skeletal
- stone-age
- two-dimensional
- vanilla
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simple adjective (NATURAL)
usually approving ordinary; traditional or natural rather than modern and complicated:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Easiness and simplicity
- (as) easy as pie/ABC/anything/falling off a log idiom
- at the push of a button idiom
- at the stroke of a pen idiom
- be (all) downhill idiom
- be child's play idiom
- breeze
- convincing
- foolproof
- friendly
- gift
- gimme
- give/hand sth to sb on a (silver) platter idiom
- rocket science
- sail
- sail through (sth)
- sb could do sth with one arm/hand tied behind his/her back idiom
- self-explanatory
- semi-skilled
- simplicity
- sweat
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simple adjective (FOOLISH)
old-fashioned A simple person does not have a normal level of intelligence:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Naive & trusting
- an easy touch idiom
- be easy game/meat idiom
- be easy prey idiom
- be wet behind the ears idiom
- butter
- dewy-eyed
- easy
- idealist
- impressionable
- ingenuous
- naivety
- prey
- pushover
- see things in black and white idiom
- soft touch
- sucker
- unsophisticated
- unsuspecting
- wet
- wide-eyed
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