How common is plain?

27.8 occurrences per million words

Uncommon
27.8/M

Used occasionally in written English

Frequency scale

Very RareRareUncommonCommonVery Common

Reference words

the
56.3k/M
be
22.0k/M
have
7.3k/M
time
700.0/M
house
95.0/M
cat
21.0/M
exotic
4.0/M
rare
0.500/M
plain
27.8/M

Compared to similar words

↑
sites
More common · 42.1/M
↓
paint
Less common · 16.1/M
Define PLAIN

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Synonyms of PLAIN

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Anagrams of PLAIN

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Frequently Asked Questions

How common is the word "plain"?

"PLAIN" has a frequency of 27.8 occurrences per million words of English text, placing it in the "Uncommon" category. Used occasionally in written English.

What does occurrences per million mean?

A frequency of 27.8/M means "plain" appears about 27.8 times in every million words of text — roughly once every 35,990 words.

Is a higher frequency score better?

Not necessarily — it depends on your goal. For everyday communication, high-frequency words are safer and clearer. For precise or technical writing, lower-frequency specialist words may be more accurate.