easy

1 of 2

adjective

ˈē-zē 

easier; easiest

1

a

: causing or involving little difficulty or discomfort

within easy reach

b

: requiring or indicating little effort, thought, or reflection

easy clichés

2

a

: not severe : lenient

hopes they'll be easy on him

b

: not steep or abrupt

easy slopes

c

: not difficult to endure or undergo

an easy penalty

d

: readily taken advantage of

an easy target for takeovers

an easy mark for con men

e(1)

: readily available

easy pickings

(2)

: plentiful in supply at low or declining interest rates

easy money

(3)

: less in demand and usually lower in price

bonds were easier

f

: pleasant

easy listening

g

: sexually promiscuous

3

a

: marked by peace and comfort

the easy life of a courtier

b

: not hurried or strenuous

an easy pace

4

a

: free from pain, annoyance, or anxiety

did all she could to make him easier

b

: marked by social ease

an air of easy assurance

c

: easygoing

an easy disposition

5

a

: giving ease, comfort, or relaxation

b

: not burdensome or straitened

bought on easy terms

c

: fitting comfortably : allowing freedom of movement

easy jackets

d

: marked by ready facility

an easy flowing style

e

: felt or attained to readily, naturally, and spontaneously

an easy smile

easiness noun

easy

2 of 2

adverb

easier; easiest

1

: easily sense 1

promises come easy

2

: without undue speed or excitement

take it easy

3

a

: without worry or care

rest easy

b

: without a severe penalty

got off easy

c

: without violent movement

the boat rode easy

4

: easily sense 2

cost $500 easy

Synonyms

Adjective

• cheap
• downhill
• effortless
• facile
• fluent
• fluid
• hands-down
• light
• painless
• ready
• royal
• simple
• smooth
• snap
• soft

Adverb

• easily
• effortlessly
• facilely
• fluently
• freely
• handily
• hands down
• lightly
• painlessly
• readily
• smoothly
• well

Choose the Right Synonym for easy

easy, facile, simple, light, effortless, smooth mean not demanding effort or involving difficulty.

easy is applicable either to persons or things imposing tasks or to activity required by such tasks.

an easy college course

facile often adds to easy the connotation of undue haste or shallowness.

facile answers to complex questions

simple stresses ease in understanding or dealing with because complication is absent.

a simple problem in arithmetic

light stresses freedom from what is burdensome.

a light teaching load

effortless stresses the appearance of ease and usually implies the prior attainment of artistry or expertness.

moving with effortless grace

smooth stresses the absence or removal of all difficulties, hardships, or obstacles.

a smooth ride

synonyms see in addition comfortable

Examples of easy in a Sentence

Adjective

It's surprisingly easy to use.

It was an easy decision to make.

They scored an easy goal late in the game.

It wasn't easy for her to leave home.

There are no easy solutions to this problem.

He's had an easy life.

This new schedule should make our lives easier.

I hope this will make things easier for you.

I won't feel easy until I know that she arrived safely.

Adverb

He just wants to take life easy now.

we can make the trip in four hours easy

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

This ensures any updates are easy and consistent, which is essential for fast-moving companies or rapidly developing products. —William Mullane, USA TODAY, 10 Dec. 2024

Cardboard boxes are easy for bugs and rodents to chew through, so plastic containers and lids should be used instead. —Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024

Adverb

Thankfully, things started out fairly easy with 1 and 4 Across (Bow and Caleb) and a few of the downs were pretty obvious—Ole!—but some of these really stumped me. —Erik Kain, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024

Retirement life has not come that easy for the Kelce family. —Ryan Morik, Fox News, 6 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English esy, from Anglo-French eisé, aasié, past participle of eiser, aaisier to ease, from a- ad- (from Latin ad-) + eise ease

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Adverb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing easy

• (as) easy as ABC
• (as) easy as falling off a log
• (as) easy as pie
• breathe easy
• come easy
• easy chair
• easy come, easy go
• easy does it
• easy on
• easy on the eye
• easy on the eyes
• easy pickings
• easy street
• easy virtue
• free and easy
• go easy
• go easy on
• I'm easy
• let (someone) down easy/gently
• nice and easy
• no easy/simple matter
• no easy thing
• on easy street
• over easy
• rest easy
• take it easy
• take the easy way out
• within easy reach
• within (easy) reach of

Kids Definition

easy

1 of 2 adjective

ˈē-zē 

easier; easiest

1

: not hard to do or get : not difficult

an easy lesson

2

a

: not hard to please : lenient

an easy teacher

b

: not steep

easy slopes

3

a

: free from pain, trouble, or worry

b

: not hurried : leisurely

an easy pace

4

: not false or strained : natural

an easy manner

5

: giving relaxation and comfort

an easy chair

easiness noun

easy

2 of 2 adverb

easier; easiest

1

: easily sense 1

take life easy

2

: with slow care : cautiously

go easy