adverb
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with ease; without difficulty or exertion
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by far; beyond question; undoubtedly
he is easily the best in the contest
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probably; almost certainly
he may easily come first
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of easily
First recorded in 1250–1300, easily is from the Middle English word esily. See easy, -ly
Explanation
Things that happen easily don't require a lot of effort. When your old car starts easily on a very cold morning, you'll breathe a sigh of relief. While you can only climb a mountain with difficulty, you can probably climb the stairs in your house easily. You can also use this adverb to mean something closer to "quickly," as when you describe your puppy as easily distracted with treats or yourself as easily bored by long books. The Old French root of easily is aisie, "comfortable" or "at ease."
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.
This allowed the droplets to detach more easily, often before they had time to grow very large.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 23, 2026
Importantly for all those planning a shindig, the balloon inflates as easily as a conventional one.
From Barron's ● Aug. 23, 2026
Although there is an inexorable trade-off between unemployment and inflation in the short run, he said, it isn’t a dial that the Fed can easily turn at will.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
Polls suggest Ossoff will easily win his Senate race this fall, which has stoked speculation that he may run for president in 2028.
From Slate ● Aug. 21, 2026
Now Tūtū doesn’t get around so easily, so I don’t get to go hiking in the reserve unless Dad is in town.
From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila
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.
