SIMPLE

adj. 1 uncomplicated, plain, uninvolved, unsophisticated, understandable, intelligible, (easily) understood, comprehensible, clear, lucid, straightforward, easy, elementary, basic At the age of four, Jan was able to do simple mathematical calculations 2 plain, unadorned, undecorated, unembellished, basic, fundamental, elementary, elemental, mere, unostentatious, unassuming, unpretentious, modest, classic, uncluttered, stark, clean, severe, austere, Spartan, homely; unvarnished, naked, honest Thea was stunning in a simple black dress with a colourful scarf and gold jewellery The simple truth is that he came home from work to find the house broken into and his wife gone. 3 sincere, frank, candid, open, unaffected, uncomplicated, unpretentious, straightforward, above-board, simple-hearted, uncontrived, direct, upright, square, forthright, four-square, righteous, honest, naïve, guileless, artless, undesigning, childlike, ingenuous, unsophisticated, innocent, green The colonel was a simple man who was respected because he always said just what he meant A simple heart may be its own best guide. 4 unsophisticated, naïve, slow, slow-witted, stupid, thick, thickheaded, simple-minded, feeble-minded, oafish, bovine, dense, obtuse, dull, dull-witted, witless, halfwitted, brainless, backward, imbecilic or chiefly Brit imbecile, cretinous, Colloq dumb, moronic That chap Dawson is far too simple to understand what you are asking him 5 lowly, humble, inferior, mean, base, subservient, common, subordinate The lord of the manor regarded his tenants as simple folk, a breed apart from himself and his family