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)

• eases,
  present (3rd person singular)
• eased,
  past participle,  past
• easing
  present participle

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)

• eases,
  present (3rd person singular)
• eased,
  past participle,  past
• easing
  present participle

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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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

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

Inflected Forms

Participles

• easing
  present
• eased
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• ease
  simple
• eases
  simple
• have eased
  perfect
• has eased
  perfect
• am easing
  progressive
• are easing
  progressive
• is easing
  progressive
• have been easing
  perfect progressive
• has been easing
  perfect progressive

Past

• eased
  simple
• had eased
  perfect
• was easing
  progressive
• were easing
  progressive
• had been easing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will ease
  simple
• will have eased
  perfect
• will be easing
  progressive
• will have been easing
  perfect progressive

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

See Examples For:

ease eases eased easing

At the end of the show, a stunning reading of “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” revealed the instinctive ease with which she can navigate the sweet, syncopated phrasing of Dominican merengue.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026

On Friday, Stephen Kinnock, Secretary of State for Wales, said military personnel had been deployed for logistical support and to help "ease the pressure on the ground".

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026

Colombians outside the quake zone have mobilized in massive numbers to ease victims' suffering.

From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026

Meanwhile, I learned that so many of them were desperately trying to ease the pain by renting their units out that you could rent the units for $2,000 a month, or even less.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026

It was warm from his own body, hopefully enough to ease her chill until the other humans arrived.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

“As capacity eases, which we anticipate, this company will be among the first and hardest hit,” she wrote.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 12, 2026

She has an obvious aura and instantly eases apprehension with humour.

From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026

I’m very embarrassed doing this routine, but it eases the transition for both of them.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026

What they first cultivate with silly banter and lighthearted ad-libs eases into a more vulnerable, introspective atmosphere, comparable to a cathartic therapy session.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026

A plastic door eases open and I slide in the first tape.

From "Thirteen Reasons Why" by Jay Asher

Weaker-than-expected U.S. labor data and softer inflation prints eased concerns that the Federal Reserve will need to remain aggressively hawkish, ANZ Research analysts say in a report.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026

While demand for crude has eased, that ultimately might not prove to be as big of a boon for consumers as many might expect.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 16, 2026

Stafford, Bennett and quarterbacks coach Dave Ragone are among those who have eased Simpson’s transition to the NFL.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

—Gold prices eased in early European trading after rising in the previous session, as U.S. inflation data matched expectations.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

He eased over and took a look at the trap himself.

From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls

Sustained evidence of easing consumer demand might suggest that price increases could cool off further without the Fed’s intervention.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

"Washington should be a key actor in easing the tensions in the region, but they are trying to satisfy everyone and pursue their narrow interests," said Hudson.

From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026

These include easing inflammation, supporting healthier blood flow and improving several blood markers linked to long-term heart health.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 13, 2026

These costs in the earlier stage of production point to easing inflationary pressures.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026

Suzanne’s choices sometimes seemed like an affront to my way of doing things, a vote in favor of easing up and striving less.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

Related Words

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