ease

American  

[eez] / iz /

noun

1. freedom from labor, pain, or physical annoyance; tranquil rest; comfort.

   to enjoy one's ease.

   Synonyms:

   effortlessness, contentment, repose

   Antonyms:

   effort, discomfort

2. 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

3. freedom from difficulty or great effort; facility.

   It can be done with ease.

4. freedom from financial need; plenty.

   a life of ease on a moderate income.

5. freedom from stiffness, constraint, or formality; unaffectedness.

   ease of manner;

   the ease and elegance of her poetry.

   Synonyms:

   informality, naturalness

   Antonyms:

   tenseness, formality, stiffness

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verb (used with object)

eased, easing

1. to free from anxiety or care.

   to ease one's mind.

   Synonyms:

   soothe, tranquilize, disburden, relieve, comfort

2. to mitigate, lighten, or lessen.

   to ease pain.

   Synonyms:

   reduce, abate, allay, assuage, alleviate

3. to release from pressure, tension, or the like.

4. to move or shift with great care.

   to ease a car into a narrow parking space.

5. to render less difficult; facilitate.

   I'll help if it will ease your job.

6. to provide (an architectural member) with an easement.

7. Shipbuilding. to trim (a timber of a wooden hull) so as to fair its surface into the desired form of the hull.

8. Nautical.

   1. to bring (the helm or rudder of a vessel) slowly amidships.

   2. to bring the head of (a vessel) into the wind.

   3. to slacken or lessen the hold upon (a rope).

   4. to lessen the hold of (the brake of a windlass).

verb (used without object)

eased, easing

1. to abate in severity, pressure, tension, etc. (often followed by off orup ).

2. to become less painful, burdensome, etc.

3. to move, shift, or be moved or be shifted with great care.

verb phrase

1. ease out to remove from a position of authority, a job, or the like, especially by methods intended to be tactful.

   He was eased out as division head to make way for the boss's nephew.

idioms

1. at ease, a position of rest in which soldiers may relax but may not leave their places or talk.

ease British  

/ iːz /

noun

1. freedom from discomfort, worry, or anxiety

2. lack of difficulty, labour, or awkwardness; facility

3. rest, leisure, or relaxation

4. freedom from poverty or financial embarrassment; affluence

   a life of ease

5. lack of restraint, embarrassment, or stiffness

   his ease of manner disarmed us

6. military

   1. (of a standing soldier, etc) in a relaxed position with the feet apart and hands linked behind the back

   2. a command to adopt such a position

   3. in a relaxed attitude or frame of mind

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verb

1. to make or become less burdensome

2. (tr) to relieve (a person) of worry or care; comfort

3. (tr) to make comfortable or give rest to

4. (tr) to make less difficult; facilitate

5. to move or cause to move into, out of, etc, with careful manipulation

   to ease a car into a narrow space

6. to lessen or cause to lessen in severity, pressure, tension, or strain; slacken, loosen, or abate

7. archaic to urinate or defecate

8. nautical to relieve the pressure on the rudder of a vessel, esp by bringing the bow into the wind

ease More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing ease

• at ease
• easily
• easy
• ill at ease

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Related Words

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

• easer noun
• self-ease noun
• self-easing adjective
• well-eased adjective

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.

Example Sentences

Fuel prices are likely to ease, assuming the cease-fire holds, but airlines will almost certainly keep trying to raise fares and tack on extra charges.

From Barron's • Apr. 12, 2026

The survey forecasts that West Texas Intermediate, the U.S. oil-price benchmark, will ease to $79.66 a barrel at the end of the year, about 18% lower than Friday’s closing price of $96.57.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

Getting Marcus Smart back from injury Friday helped ease the ball-handling burden on Kennard.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2026

Returning it, he said, is the only thing that can ease the pain for "his mother, his father, and his family".

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

Chase wasn’t sure what to expect, but his father looked perfectly at ease in front of the camera, as if he’d been on TV every day of his life.

From "Storm Runners" by Roland Smith

Related Words

• abate
• allay
• ameliorate
• calm
• expedite
• facilitate
• further
• improve
• lessen
• lift
• mitigate
• moderate
• promote
• relax
• relieve
• simplify
• soften
• soothe
• speed