ease
Americannoun
-
freedom from labor, pain, or physical annoyance; tranquil rest; comfort.
to enjoy one's ease.
- Synonyms:
- effortlessness, contentment, repose
- Antonyms:
- effort, discomfort
-
freedom from concern, anxiety, or solicitude; a quiet state of mind.
to be at ease about one's health.
- Synonyms:
- peace, calmness, serenity, tranquility
- Antonyms:
- disturbance
-
freedom from difficulty or great effort; facility.
It can be done with ease.
-
freedom from financial need; plenty.
a life of ease on a moderate income.
-
freedom from stiffness, constraint, or formality; unaffectedness.
ease of manner;
the ease and elegance of her poetry.
- Synonyms:
- informality, naturalness
verb (used with object)
-
eases,
present (3rd person singular)
-
eased,
past participle, past
-
easing
present participle
-
to free from anxiety or care.
to ease one's mind.
- Synonyms:
- soothe, tranquilize, disburden, relieve, comfort
-
to mitigate, lighten, or lessen.
to ease pain.
-
to release from pressure, tension, or the like.
-
to move or shift with great care.
to ease a car into a narrow parking space.
-
to render less difficult; facilitate.
I'll help if it will ease your job.
-
to provide (an architectural member) with an easement.
-
Shipbuilding. to trim (a timber of a wooden hull) so as to fair its surface into the desired form of the hull.
-
Nautical.
-
to bring (the helm or rudder of a vessel) slowly amidships.
-
to bring the head of (a vessel) into the wind.
-
to slacken or lessen the hold upon (a rope).
-
to lessen the hold of (the brake of a windlass).
-
verb (used without object)
-
eases,
present (3rd person singular)
-
eased,
past participle, past
-
easing
present participle
-
to abate in severity, pressure, tension, etc. (often followed by off orup ).
-
to become less painful, burdensome, etc.
-
to move, shift, or be moved or be shifted with great care.
verb phrase
idioms
noun
-
freedom from discomfort, worry, or anxiety
-
lack of difficulty, labour, or awkwardness; facility
-
rest, leisure, or relaxation
-
freedom from poverty or financial embarrassment; affluence
a life of ease
-
lack of restraint, embarrassment, or stiffness
his ease of manner disarmed us
-
military
-
(of a standing soldier, etc) in a relaxed position with the feet apart and hands linked behind the back
-
a command to adopt such a position
-
in a relaxed attitude or frame of mind
-
verb
-
to make or become less burdensome
-
(tr) to relieve (a person) of worry or care; comfort
-
(tr) to make comfortable or give rest to
-
(tr) to make less difficult; facilitate
-
to move or cause to move into, out of, etc, with careful manipulation
to ease a car into a narrow space
-
to lessen or cause to lessen in severity, pressure, tension, or strain; slacken, loosen, or abate
-
archaic to urinate or defecate
-
nautical to relieve the pressure on the rudder of a vessel, esp by bringing the bow into the wind
Synonym Usage
Ease, comfort refer to a sense of relaxation or of well-being. Ease implies a relaxed condition with an absence of effort or pressure: a life of ease. Comfort suggests a sense of well-being, along with ease, which produces a quiet happiness and contentment: comfort in one's old age.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
easesimple
-
easessimple
-
have easedperfect
-
has easedperfect
-
am easingprogressive
-
are easingprogressive
-
is easingprogressive
-
have been easingperfect progressive
-
has been easingperfect progressive
Past
-
easedsimple
-
had easedperfect
-
was easingprogressive
-
were easingprogressive
-
had been easingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of ease
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English noun ese, eise, from Anglo-French, Old French “comfort, convenience,” from Vulgar Latin adjaces (unrecorded) “vicinity,” the regular outcome of literary Latin adjacēns adjacent; verb ultimately derivative of the noun
Explanation
Ease means to lessen or release, often making something possible in the meantime. When you put someone at their ease, you lessen their discomfort. When you ease into a chair, you gently release yourself into it. A life of ease means you do not have to struggle to make money. Your dad might be mad if you pierce your nose, but eventually, with time, his anger will ease and he will ease up on you. Your older siblings' behavior will ease the way for you to do things that frighten your parents without their overreacting.
Vocabulary lists containing ease
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The president has also unveiled debt relief for small businesses, new university grants and measures to ease fuel costs, while proposing free weekend public transport.
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026
Concerns over the impact of high interest rates on the AI boom may ease, given Thursday’s fall in U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
"These should support fourth-quarter investment, ease local fiscal stress and help hit the growth target," she said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026
Coquerel said the measure would considerably reduce France’s debt-to-GDP ratio and ease some of the pressure on its finances.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
I grip my phone at my side and ease into a walk.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
“The Singapore economy should continue to expand at a firm pace in the immediate quarters ahead, and moderate thereafter as the AI cycle eases from its exceptional pace and global financial conditions tighten,” it said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026
On worries over higher Treasury bond yields, closely monitored as a proxy for interest rates, the official said interest costs are expected to cool as inflation eases over time.
From Barron's ● Aug. 31, 2026
“As capacity eases, which we anticipate, this company will be among the first and hardest hit,” she wrote.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 12, 2026
"People have had more than enough uncertainty over the past year, and even a temporary pause eases the pressure a little."
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
An old man in a cowboy hat with an eagle feather on it eases himself out of a truck.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
The decision comes after data showed Turkey’s annual inflation eased to 29.7% in September from 31.5% in August, raising the prospect of an interest-rate cut this month.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
"I think this health crisis has eased those frictions even further," she said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026
Professor Vasilev noticed that eating peppermint leaves from his drink significantly eased his sore throat.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2026
While the move has eased the immediate security situation, the issue remains unresolved.
From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026
Still holding the little monkey in my arms, I eased over and started talking to Jimbo.
From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls
Carrick knows the importance of ending that sequence in terms of easing the pressure on his own future.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
The Independent focuses on what it says is a "pivotal week" in the war in Ukraine, as the White House looks to cut diesel prices further by easing sanctions on Russia's shadow fleet.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
The MAS expects core inflation to remain slightly elevated in the immediate quarters ahead, before easing more discernibly from mid-2027.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026
Markets have priced in three total hikes, which would reverse the Fed’s three easing steps in late 2025.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 12, 2026
She finished her drink, the ginger tea easing her stomach.
From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
