no-frills

[ noh-frilz ]

adjective

1. providing or including basic services and necessities without any additional features or amenities:

   Food and beverages are not covered by the low no-frills airfare.

2. no-name.
3. unadorned; simple; plain; spare:

   a straightforward, no-frills package of healthcare benefits.

no-frills

adjective

1. offering only a basic service in order to keep costs low

   a no-frills airline

Word History and Origins

Origin of no-frills¹

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

Magic Mountain’s vintage take on a log flume attraction is no-frills — our boats go up a lift, enter a brisk current and then speed down a hill.

From Los Angeles Times

Ryanair says it expects summer fares will be much lower than last year after profits at the no-frills airline fell by almost 50%.

From BBC

The budget carriers have struggled, however, as big airlines created their own no-frills tickets to lure away the most cost-conscious travelers.

From Seattle Times

So here’s my Nana’s original no-frills recipe, without any fuss, any tweaks or anything to gild the lily.

From Salon

Stock in the budget airline, which received bailout funding during the coronavirus pandemic’s early days and is known for its yellow planes and no-frills service, sank 47 percent yesterday.

From New York Times