simplistic

English

Etymology

From simple +‎ -istic.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sɪmˈplɪstɪk/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

Adjective

simplistic (comparative more simplistic, superlative most simplistic)

1. Overly simple.
   • 2012, Wolf D. Storl, The Herbal Lore of Wise Women and Wortcunners, page 97:

     At one time, I was extremely skeptical of such simplistic medicine until observing a reflexologist at work and finding that many of the patients showed steady improvement in cases where official medical practitioners had recommended surgery or prescribed the usual quantum of pills. Along with the foot massage, the reflexologist recommended herbal teas to her clients.

   • 2013, Lesley Tierra, Healing with the Herbs of Life:

     This simplistic method of using herbs isolates the disease from the person and the chemical aspects of an herb from its overall individual therapeutic effects.

   • 2013, Andrew Vickers, Complementary medicine and disability, page 220:

     It might also be worth taking the simplistic claims of some of the herbal health books with just a bit more than a pinch of salt: if you do decide to try feverfew tea, or a liver flush mixture, do it for yourself, not for someone trying to sell a magazine or book.

2. In a manner that simplifies a concept or issue so that its nuance and complexity are lost or important details are overlooked.
   • 1960, Allen S. Whiting, China Crosses the Yalu: the Decision to Enter the Korean War:

     (Mao's) reliance on simplistic Soviet interpretations was reflected in his dismissal of Hitler as "a mere will-less puppet of the reactionary capitalists."

   • 1967, Jacques Lambert, Latin America: Social Structure and Political Institutions:

     The cliché is not untrue, but, like all generalisations, it distorts reality so that overly simplistic judgments have to be tempered by a few qualifications.

Usage notes

• Simplistic is not to be conflated with simple; simplistic implies simplicity that distorts the topic, whereas simple does not.

Derived terms

• oversimplistic
• oversimplistically
• simplism
• simplistically
• simplisticness
• unsimplistic

Translations

overly simple

• Bulgarian: опростенчески (bg) (oprostenčeski)
• Catalan: simplista m or f
• Dutch: simplistisch (nl)
• Finnish: simplistinen, yliyksinkertaistettu
• French: simpliste (fr)
• Galician: simplista m or f
• German: stark vereinfacht, simplistisch
• Hebrew: פשטני m
• Italian: semplicista (it) m or f, semplicistico m, semplicistica f
• Portuguese: simplista, simplicista m or f
• Spanish: simplista (es)

See also

• simplism (noun)
• simplistically (adverb)
• simpleton
• simplified