What does "simplicity" mean?
The state or quality of being simple; The quality or state of being unmixed or uncompounded
Simplicity
/sɪmˈplɪsɪti/ noun
noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The state or quality of being simple; The quality or state of being unmixed or uncompounded
- Grammar: simplicity is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: easiness, simpleness, abatement, abridgment.
- Useful contrasts: bureaucratic rules, ceremonial regalia, computational complexity.
- Usage evidence: His story was simplicity itself.
How to use "simplicity"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "simplicity" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "simplicity" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "simplicity" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "simplicity" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "simplicity" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "easiness" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "simplicity", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The state or quality of being simple; The quality or state of being unmixed or uncompounded countable, uncountable
"the simplicity of metals or of earths"
- 2 lack of ornamentation wordnet
- 3 The state or quality of being simple; The quality or state of being not complex, or of consisting of few parts. countable, uncountable
"the simplicity of a machine"
- 4 freedom from difficulty or hardship or effort wordnet
- 5 The state or quality of being simple; Lack of sharpness of mind; lack of ability to think using complex ideas; stupidity countable, uncountable
Show 7 more definitions
- 6 the quality of being simple or uncompounded wordnet
- 7 The state or quality of being simple; Lack of artificial ornament, pretentious style, or luxury; plainness countable, uncountable
"simplicity of dress, of style, or of language"
- 8 absence of affectation or pretense wordnet
- 9 The state or quality of being simple; Lack of subtlety or abstruseness; clarity countable, uncountable
"the simplicity of a doctrine"
- 10 a lack of penetration or subtlety wordnet
- 11 The state or quality of being simple; Lack of complication; efficiency. countable, uncountable
"Economics is a messy discipline: too fluid to be a science, too rigorous to be an art. Perhaps it is fitting that economists’ most-used metric, gross domestic product (GDP), is a tangle too. GDP measures the total value of output in an economic territory. Its apparent simplicity explains why it is scrutinised down to tenths of a percentage point every month."
- 12 An act or instance of foolishness. archaic, countable, rare, uncountable
"speaking of the great simplicity we commit, in leaving yong children under the government and charge of their fathers and parents."
Antonyms
bureaucratic rulesceremonial regaliacomputational complexitydecorative feature
Example
"His story was simplicity itself."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "simplicity"?
Common synonyms include: easiness, simpleness, abatement, abridgment, affability, agnosticism.
How do you use "simplicity" in a sentence?
His story was simplicity itself.
How do you pronounce "simplicity"?
Pronounced /sɪmˈplɪsɪti/.
Etymology
From Middle English simplicite, from Old French simplicite, from Latin simplicitās, from simplex (“simple”). See simple. Partially displaced native English onefoldness.