easy money

American  

noun

1. money obtained with a minimum of effort.

2. money obtained by deception, fraud, artifice, etc.

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easy money British  

noun

1. money made with little effort, sometimes dishonestly

2. commerce money that can be borrowed at a low interest rate

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easy money Idioms  

1. 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.

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Etymology

Origin of easy money

An Americanism dating back to 1895–1900

Example Sentences

In early 2021, GameStop became the locus of a meme stock mania fueled by easy money.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026

"I think that's a very serious line of inquiry in relation to these events, we've seen a pattern... people taking cash, as it looks like quick and easy money."

From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026

Batangouna denounced what he said was young folk's obsession with easy money, and the damage they were doing to the once vast forests next to the village.

From Barron's • Mar. 14, 2026

So when he searched online for a loan to keep himself afloat, a Chinese agent hooked him with an opportunity for easy money.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 22, 2026

It smelled of money, easy money, easily exchanged money.

From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie