plainly happy

USAGE SUMMARY

"plainly happy" is correctly used in written English.
You can use it to describe a person whose joy is immediately obvious, or a situation that is well-defined and clear-cut. For example, "Although he was facing hard times, his face was plainly happy when he saw his kids."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

His audience were plainly happy to have one of their own in charge.

The Economist

Elsa Ramos, 27, was quick to answer, and while she was plainly happy to see Ms. Lopez, even happier was her 3-year-old daughter, Darianne, who knew exactly what a visit from Ms. Lopez meant.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Many voters will plainly be happy to see Mr Guterres go.

The Economist

And he plainly is happy to be here.

Forbes

I let them out because it so plainly makes them happy.

The New York Times

It drew inspiration equally from Victorian civic buildings and neglected 1960s towers and, while plainly modern, was happy to use traditional shapes of window and room, and materials such as terracotta and wood.

The Guardian - Arts

The Evening Standard said, "The country would plainly be a happier place if more of us played the ukulele".

The New York Times - Arts

McCain, sporting jeans and a sleeveless denim jacket over a sweatshirt with a silkscreened family picture, was plainly in his element, happy to be off the trail for a weekend and enjoying one of his favorite past times (grilling, not schmoozing with the press).

Huffington Post

And the death cult chose its targets in the city with ghoulish, self-damning accuracy — everything they loathed stood plainly before them on a happy Friday evening: men and women in easy association, wine, free-thinking, laughter, tolerance, music — wild and satirical rock and blues.

Independent

He says, plainly and abstrusely, that he's "happy".

The New York Times - Magazine

While some people are happy to rent, others plainly are not, and certainly not with in the current situation.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "plainly happy" to describe a state of happiness that is immediately apparent through someone's expression or demeanor. It implies a lack of pretense or hidden emotion.

Common error

Avoid using "plainly happy" when you intend to convey extreme joy or elation. "Plainly" suggests obviousness, not necessarily intensity. Use stronger adjectives like "ecstatically" or "overjoyed" for more emphatic happiness.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "plainly happy" functions as an adverb-adjective combination, where 'plainly' modifies 'happy'. It describes the manner in which someone exhibits happiness, emphasizing its obviousness. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Formal & Business

17%

Science

17%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "plainly happy" is a grammatically correct and infrequently used phrase that describes an obvious state of happiness. Ludwig AI validates its correct usage. Primarily found in news and media contexts, the phrase serves to clearly communicate a subject's visible joy, without implying intense elation. Alternatives include "obviously delighted" or "clearly pleased".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

obviously delighted

Replaces "plainly" with "obviously" and "happy" with "delighted", emphasizing the clarity and intensity of joy.

clearly pleased

Substitutes "plainly" with "clearly" and "happy" with "pleased", focusing on the unambiguous nature of the satisfaction.

visibly joyous

Employs "visibly" in place of "plainly" and "joyous" instead of "happy", highlighting the outward display of happiness.

unmistakably glad

Uses "unmistakably" to replace "plainly" and "glad" to replace "happy", stressing the certainty of the happiness felt.

patently content

Replaces "plainly" with "patently" and "happy" with "content", suggesting an evident state of satisfaction.

evidently cheerful

Substitutes "plainly" with "evidently" and "happy" with "cheerful", indicating an obvious and positive emotional state.

noticeably merry

Employs "noticeably" in place of "plainly" and "merry" instead of "happy", highlighting the conspicuous nature of the happiness.

markedly cheerful

Uses "markedly" to replace "plainly" and "cheerful" to replace "happy", stressing how clearly happy someone is.

ostensibly happy

Replaces "plainly" with "ostensibly", suggesting happiness is apparent, though perhaps superficially.

outwardly happy

Substitutes "plainly" with "outwardly", emphasizing the external manifestation of happiness.

FAQs

How can I use "plainly happy" in a sentence?

"Plainly happy" is used to describe someone whose happiness is easily seen. For example, "She was "plainly happy" when she received the award."

What's a good alternative to "plainly happy"?

Alternatives to "plainly happy" include "obviously delighted", "clearly pleased", or "visibly joyous". These phrases all suggest easily observable happiness.

Is "plainly happy" formal or informal?

"Plainly happy" is suitable for neutral contexts, like news reports. For more formal or informal situations, you might choose a different expression.

What does "plainly" emphasize in the phrase "plainly happy"?

"Plainly" emphasizes that the happiness is obvious and easily perceived. It suggests there's no question about the person's emotional state.