effortless
Americanadjective
adjective
-
requiring or involving little effort; easy
-
archaic making little effort; passive
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of effortless
Explanation
Something effortless is easy to do — or at least appears that way. Great basketball players make scoring three-point shots look effortless. If you always know just what to wear, you have an effortless sense of style. Effort is the work it takes to do something. Moving a couch and staying on a diet both require effort. If something is effortless, it takes no work at all to do. For example, lifting a feather is effortless. Writing may be effortless for some people, but difficult for others. Also, some things just look effortless. A great musician might make playing guitar sound effortless, but years of practice probably went into it. Experts make difficult things seem effortless.
Vocabulary lists containing effortless
Power Suffix: -less
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Stay Strong: Forc and Fort
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Unit 1: Telling Details
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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.
While scientists have learned a great deal about the early stages of learning, much less has been known about what happens after a skill has been practiced extensively and becomes almost effortless.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 12, 2026
From the outside, it makes complete sense that Nolan would pick Holland, a young actor from Kingston-upon-Thames who has such star quality that his rise has felt effortless.
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026
In recent years, the Federal Trade Commission has taken enforcement action against several operations that it said bilked consumers out of millions of dollars with the lure of effortless money.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026
“The open design creates an effortless flow for both daily living and entertaining,” the listing noted.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 11, 2026
I had peers who were always a step or two ahead of me, whose achievements seemed effortless, but I tried not to let that get to me.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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.
