ease

[ eez ]

/ iz /

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See synonyms for: ease / eased / easing on Thesaurus.com

noun

freedom from labor, pain, or physical annoyance; tranquil rest; comfort: to enjoy one's ease.

freedom from concern, anxiety, or solicitude; a quiet state of mind: to be at ease about one's health.

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.

verb (used with object), eased, eas·ing.

to free from anxiety or care: to ease one's mind.

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), eased, eas·ing.

to abate in severity, pressure, tension, etc. (often followed by off or up).

to become less painful, burdensome, etc.

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

Verb Phrases

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.

SYNONYMS FOR ease

1 repose, contentment, effortlessness.

2 tranquillity, serenity, calmness, peace.

5 naturalness, informality.

6 comfort, relieve, disburden; tranquilize, soothe.

7 alleviate, assuage, allay, abate, reduce.

See synonyms for ease on Thesaurus.com

ANTONYMS FOR ease

1 discomfort, effort.

2 disturbance.

5 stiffness, formality, tenseness.

See antonyms for ease on Thesaurus.com

QUIZZES

QUIZ YOURSELF ON “THEIR,” “THERE,” AND “THEY’RE”

Are you aware how often people swap around “their,” “there,” and “they’re”? Prove you have more than a fair grasp over these commonly confused words.

Question 1 of 7

Which one of these commonly confused words can act as an adverb or a pronoun?

their

there

they're

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms for ease

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

Origin of ease

1175–1225; (noun) Middle English ese, eise<Anglo-French ese,Old French aise, eise comfort, convenience <Vulgar Latin *adjace(m), accusative of *adjacēs vicinity (compare Medieval Latin in aiace in (the) vicinity), the regular outcome of Latin adjacēnsadjacent, taken in VL as a noun of the type nūbēs, accusative nūbem cloud; (v.) Middle English esen<Anglo-French e(i)ser,Old French aisier, derivative of the noun

synonym study for ease

1. 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 WORDS FROM ease

self-ease, nounself-easing, adjectivewell-eased, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for ease

“We need to do the recount so we can put people’s minds at ease,” said James.
Pressure mounts on state Republicans as lawsuits challenging election results founder|Elise Viebeck, Tom Hamburger, Jon Swaine, Emma Brown|November 12, 2020|Washington Post
Coronavirus infections across the greater Washington region surged past the 3,000 mark Wednesday for the first time, spreading with relative ease as caseloads set another record high.
Daily coronavirus infections surpass 3,000 in D.C. region, setting record for eighth day|Dana Hedgpeth|November 11, 2020|Washington Post
No, but the child can exhibit more signs of ease and adaptability with gentle parenting styles and strong attachment.
Why one child can be more ‘difficult’ than another|Meghan Leahy|November 11, 2020|Washington Post
Portability and ease of setup are key for wireless earbuds, and it’s important to choose a pair that’s as powerful as it is lightweight.
Best wireless earbuds: Five things to consider|PopSci Commerce Team|October 30, 2020|Popular Science

The Jefferson of this book is the familiar visionary and conflict-avoidance specialist who consistently fails to retire to a life of ease.
Four presidents who put Virginia’s stamp on early America|Andrew Burstein|October 30, 2020|Washington Post
In 1993, the military eased its grip and offered a transition to civilian governance.
The Nigerian Women Who Fight for Democracy|Nina Strochlic|October 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The United States is now the only really powerful nation to have eased into stable democratic government from the ground up.
Is Democracy Doomed Abroad?|James Poulos|August 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Slayman eased the young man—Matt, from Pennsylvania—out of the car and got him on his stumbling way.
A Report From the Misunderstood Gathering of the Juggalos|Steve Miller|July 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The White House eased pressure on Tehran to get a preliminary nuclear deal.
Thank Obama for Iran’s Growing Economy|Eli Lake|July 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Over time he can be eased out—as long as his Alawite people are protected in some kind of federal Syria.
A Winning Strategy for Iraq and Syria|Leslie H. Gelb|June 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Fresh gangs manned the sweeps and the riders on the eastern bank eased their pace to a walk.
The Red Year|Louis Tracy
Wilson eased down the aisle, casually pushing a woman out of his way, and glanced over his victim's shoulder.
Hooded Detective, Volume III No. 2, January, 1942|Various
Two hours later, Mr. Peck entered Charlie Ward's office again and eased himself into a chair.
Hooded Detective, Volume III No. 2, January, 1942|Various
Janet made a wry face and with the greatest care eased herself into a chair piled with cushions.
The Adventure Girls at K Bar O|Clair Blank
A muscle twitched in his corded neck; Arnold eased his long frame into a chair, rubbed thumb and forefinger at his eyes.
We're Friends, Now|Henry Hasse

British Dictionary definitions for ease

ease

/ (iːz) /

noun

freedom from discomfort, worry, or anxiety

lack of difficulty, labour, or awkwardness; facility

rest, leisure, or relaxation

freedom from poverty or financial embarrassment; affluencea life of ease

lack of restraint, embarrassment, or stiffnesshis ease of manner disarmed us

at ease 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 manipulationto ease a car into a narrow space

(when intr, often foll by off or up) to lessen or cause to lessen in severity, pressure, tension, or strain; slacken, loosen, or abate

ease oneself or ease nature archaic, euphemistic to urinate or defecate

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

Derived forms of ease

easer, noun

Word Origin for ease

C13: from Old French aise ease, opportunity, from Latin adjacēns neighbouring (area); see adjacent

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with ease

ease

In addition to the idioms beginning with ease

ease off
ease out

also see:

at ease
ill at ease

Also see undereasilyeasy.

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