user-friendly
Americanadjective
adjective
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easy to use or understand
a user-friendly dictionary
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(of a computer system) easily operated and understood by means of a straightforward guide in jargon-free language
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of user-friendly
First recorded in 1980–85
Explanation
A gadget that is user-friendly is easy to use. User-friendly devices can be used quickly, even if you haven't used anything like it before. Have you ever tried to use something like a video camera and had a hard time figuring out how to use it, even after reading the instructions? Devices that are difficult to use are not user-friendly. A user-friendly device is easy to figure out. The designer has thought about how a new user would approach it and has made the experience simple. Just about anyone can pick a user-friendly device up and start using it.
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.
"It could be more user-friendly, with less coding involved," she says.
From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026
Thank you, Bill Gates, Michael Dell and Steve Jobs, for putting computers, smartphones and user-friendly apps into the hands of billions of people.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
To be clear, user-friendly design and usability principles have indeed transformed the world for the better in many ways, and to an incredible degree.
From Slate ● Apr. 4, 2026
Its one-click interface works seamlessly across all devices, making it the most reliable, user-friendly option for streaming and restrictive environments.
From Salon ● Mar. 30, 2026
Dirt is the working layer of earth, and dealing with dirt is as much a part of farm life as dealing with manure: Neither is user-friendly but both are necessary.
From "The View From Saturday" by E.L. Konigsburg
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
