1
as in superficial
having or showing a lack of depth of understanding or character
the movie takes a facile look at what happens when teens enter into serious romantic relationships
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in easy
involving minimal difficulty or effort
a few early facile victories misled the country into thinking that the war would be short and relatively painless
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of facile
That approach will get us a lot further than facile comparisons to our closest relatives.
—
Agustín Fuentes, Discover Magazine, 10 July 2018
In a period when figurative painting with distinct social narratives has been dominant, while facile abstract painting abounds, a fine survey of Morris’ savvy, often unexpected abstractions is especially disarming.
—Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 19 Nov. 2022
But those additions are also facile targets, and still don't come close to explaining the increase in the sticker price for college, Akers said.
—Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 5 Nov. 2022
Bercot’s facile visual style is not as sensual or tactile as Chéreau’s, who endowed the brothers played by Bruno Todeschini and Éric Caravaca with an unforgettably physical, sculptural presence.
—Armond White, National Review, 2 Nov. 2022
See All Example Sentences for facile
Agustín Fuentes, Discover Magazine, 10 July 2018
In a period when figurative painting with distinct social narratives has been dominant, while facile abstract painting abounds, a fine survey of Morris’ savvy, often unexpected abstractions is especially disarming.
—Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 19 Nov. 2022
But those additions are also facile targets, and still don't come close to explaining the increase in the sticker price for college, Akers said.
—Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 5 Nov. 2022
Bercot’s facile visual style is not as sensual or tactile as Chéreau’s, who endowed the brothers played by Bruno Todeschini and Éric Caravaca with an unforgettably physical, sculptural presence.
—Armond White, National Review, 2 Nov. 2022
See All Example Sentences for facile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for facile
Adjective
-
Due to its mild alkaline (acid-reducing) effect and abrasive texture, baking soda can help remove superficial stains and reduce bacteria in the mouth.—
Cristina Mutchler,
Health,
27 Mar. 2025
-
Her framework moves beyond superficial advice, addressing the root causes of insecurity while offering practical tools for lasting change.—
Angela Lei,
Forbes.com,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
But where this Star truly shined (that was too easy) was in giving a despondent Cedrek a pep talk after his disastrous challenge performance.—
Dalton Ross,
EW.com,
3 Apr. 2025
-
An Editor’s Warby Parker Review Since my prescription has pretty much stayed the same since high school, ordering online with Warby Parker seemed like the easiest option for me.—
Kleigh Balugo,
StyleCaster,
2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
But unless Miami can pick the right player from a very shallow pool of remaining veteran free agents, two of the roster’s biggest holes (starting defensive lineman, starting guard, starting cornerback) will need to be filled on the second day of the draft.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2025
-
What made this one especially deadly was its strength, location near populated areas and shallow depth of just about six miles, writes Science News’ Carolyn Gramling.—
Margherita Bassi,
Smithsonian Magazine,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
That simplicity feels so apt for this show, There's enough here: The production is simple and sweet, while Jonas and Warren exude a certain magnetism.—
Shania Russell,
EW.com,
7 Apr. 2025
-
Kit kept things simple with a traditional dark blue suit, pairing the look with a white shirt and polkadot bowtie and his usual glasses.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
People.com,
6 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The ride: The Niro’s suspension is tuned for comfort, providing a generally smooth and comfortable ride, especially in urban environments.—
Josh Max,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 2025
-
Wow Dreamcoat and Pop & Lock Finishing Serum for creating a super smooth and sleek look.—
Jessica Fields,
Essence,
2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
However, note that these are smaller models that could run on a less expensive GPUs or even a CPU with cheaper memory instead of the super expensive HBM memory currently used in all high-end accelerators.—
Karl Freund,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 2025
-
In the early 1970s, the widespread availability of cheap, preformed fiberglass pools meant the rate of young children drowning soared.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
3 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Facile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/facile. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share