plain talk
Words without ornament
Plain talk is direct, straightforward communication without evasion, jargon, or excessive politeness.
It cuts through euphemism and gets to the point: Let me give you some plain talk about your chances.
The phrase often signals that uncomfortable truths are coming.
Someone who engages in plain talk may be admired for honesty or criticized for bluntness.
- truthfulnessHabit of not lying
- direct speechExact quoted utterance
- telling it like it isSpeaking plain, unfiltered truth
- forthrightnessQuality of being direct
- bluntnessFrank, unvarnished manner
cutting to the chase · accessible language · sincerity · frankness · heart to heart · integrity · candor · honest conversation · brass tacks · accountability · openness · speaking freely · laying cards on the table · reliability · straight shooting · rapport building · authenticity · trustworthiness
- candorfrankness, directness, bluntness, candor, straightforwardness
- plain languagesimple English, simple language, simple words, simple grammar, simple sentences
- talkchat, chatter, chitchat, gab, jabber
- dialectsregional dialect, local dialect, patois, vernaculars, vernacular
- language termsgrammar, word, vocabulary, syntax, synonym
- slangslang, jargon, lingo, argot, cant
plain talkdoublespeak
Deliberately misleading language
circumlocution · beating around the bush · obfuscation · equivocation · weasel words
plain talkjargon
Specialized professional vocabulary
technical jargon · legalese · bureaucratese · gobbledygook · technobabble
plain talkeuphemism
Mild substitute for bluntness
diplomatic language · sugarcoating · soft-pedaling · tiptoeing around · polite fictions
plain, talk, plainly, plainness, plains, plainer, plainest, talked, talks