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
- overeasily adverb
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.
It’s about how easily grievance turns into permission—how feeling wronged starts to look like a reason to do wrong.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 27, 2026
And at the waterfall, snails that could easily be confused for pebbles slowly trudged along algae-covered rocks as Semple Run flowed by.
From Slate • Apr. 27, 2026
In many ways, a narrative film like “I Swear” bridges the gap between a viewer’s head and their heart more easily than a 30-minute television documentary.
From Salon • Apr. 26, 2026
Even after the vet’s three free throws, the Rockets still could have easily won this, but... what was Reed Sheppard doing casually dribbling the ball upcourt without noticing James behind him?
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 25, 2026
Metal blades bit into damp dirt, easily moved as if previously disturbed.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
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.
