Meaning of easy in English
Table of contents
Pronunciation
/ˈizi/US accent
UK accent
to browse different examples of pronunciation.Classifying Adjective
easyDefinitions
1. not hurried or forcedExamples
- « an easy walk around the block »
- « at a leisurely (or easygoing) pace »
Synonyms
- 2. affording pleasure
Examples
- « easy good looks »
Synonyms
- 3. having little impact
Examples
- « an easy pat on the shoulder »
- « gentle rain »
- « a gentle breeze »
- « a soft (or light) tapping at the window »
Synonyms
- 4. in fortunate circumstances financially
Examples
- « moderately rich »
- « they were comfortable or even wealthy by some standards »
- « easy living »
- « a prosperous family »
- « his family is well-situated financially »
- « well-to-do members of the community »
Synonyms
- 5. not harsh
Examples
- « causing little distress »
- « an easy penalty »
Synonyms
- 6. readily exploited or tricked
Examples
- « an easy mark »
- « an easy victim »
Synonyms
- 7. marked by moderate steepness
Examples
- « an easy climb »
- « a gentle slope »
Synonyms
- 8. performing adroitly and without effort
Examples
- « her easy grace »
- « a facile hand »
Synonyms
- 9. not strict
Examples
- « an easy teacher »
- « easy standards »
- « lenient rules »
Synonyms
- 10. affording comfort
Examples
- « soft light that was easy on the eyes »
Synonyms
- 11. casual and unrestrained in sexual behavior
Examples
- « her easy virtue »
- « he was told to avoid loose (or light) women »
- « wanton behavior »
Synonyms
- 12. less in demand and therefore readily obtainable
Examples
- « commodities are easy this quarter »
Synonyms
- 13. plentiful and therefore at low interest rates
Examples
- « easy to come by »
- « easy money »
Synonyms
Adverb
easyDefinitions
1. with ease (`easy' is sometimes used informally for `easily')Examples
- « she was easily excited »
- « was easily confused »
- « he won easily »
- « this china breaks very easily »
- « success came too easy »
- 2. without speed (`slow' is sometimes used informally for `slowly')
Examples
- « he spoke slowly »
- « go easy here--the road is slippery »
- « glaciers move tardily »
- « please go slow so I can see the sights »
Antonyms
- 3. in a relaxed manner
Examples
- « or without hardship »
- « just wanted to take it easy ('soft' is nonstandard) »
Qualitative Adjective
easyEtymology
Middle English (also in the sense ‘comfortable, tranquil’): from Old French aisie, past participle of aisier‘put at ease, facilitate’ (see ease)Definitions
1. posing no difficultyExamples
- « requiring little effort »
- « an easy job »
- « an easy problem »
- « an easy victory »
- « the house is easy to heat »
- « satisfied with easy answers »
- « took the easy way out of his dilemma »
Synonyms
- casual
- effortless
- cushy
- soft
- elementary
- simple
- uncomplicated
- unproblematic
- hands-down
- painless
- simplified
- user-friendly
- smooth
Antonyms
- 2. free from worry or anxiety
Examples
- « knowing that I had done my best, my mind was easy »
- « an easy good-natured manner »
- « by the time the child faced the actual problem of reading she was familiar and at ease with all the elements words »
Antonyms
Famous quotes
- « 'Tis easy enough to be pleasant, When life flows along like a song But the man worth while is the one who will smile when everything goes dead wrong. » Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- « A vigorous temper is not altogether an evil. Men who are easy as an old shoe are generally of little worth. » Charles Spurgeon
- « People do dismiss ambient music, don't they? They call it 'easy listening,' as if to suggest that it should be hard to listen to. » Brian Eno
- « I never worry about people not taking my work seriously as a result of the humor. In the end, the comic's best trick is the illusion that comedy is effortless. That people imagine what he's doing is easy is an occupational hazard. » Richard Russo
- « Love is like war: easy to begin but very hard to stop. » H. L. Mencken