easy money

noun

1. money obtained with a minimum of effort.
2. money obtained by deception, fraud, artifice, etc.

easy money

noun

1. money made with little effort, sometimes dishonestly
2. commerce money that can be borrowed at a low interest rate

Word History and Origins

Origin of easy money¹

An Americanism dating back to 1895–1900

Idioms and Phrases

Money obtained readily, with little effort and, often, illegally. For example, Winning the lottery—that's easy money! or I was wary of making easy money with the insider tips I'd been given . [c. 1900] Also see fast buck .

Example Sentences

Before leaving Cincinnati, Leslie told friends he wanted to make some “easy money” in New York City.

From The Daily Beast

And now there was a chance to make some easy money out of it.

From The Daily Beast

Truth told, he passes by spots in Las Vegas that he would have considered easy money back in his days on the street.

From The Daily Beast

Both girls are now in protective custody and receiving counseling for their ordeal and addiction to the easy money.

From The Daily Beast

In the short term it might seem like easy money for the cash-strapped West.

From The Daily Beast

The trouble, as she saw it, was to get me to cut loose from so much easy money and devote myself entirely to real stuff.

From Project Gutenberg

Wasn't he too making easy money, bringing agricultural steel and cotton goods here and taking away his tally of hides?

From Project Gutenberg

Give them whisky and time and the talk would come around to easy money and easy women.

From Project Gutenberg

Mars was a fine planet for picking up easy money—but holding it was another matter.

From Project Gutenberg

"I was in a pretty bad way, and I thought there was easy money coming, and that rather tempted me," he said.

From Project Gutenberg