effortless

American  

[ef-ert-lis] / ˈɛf ərt lɪs /

adjective

1. requiring or involving no effort; displaying no signs of effort; easy.

   an effortless writing style.

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effortless British  

/ ˈɛfətlɪs /

adjective

1. requiring or involving little effort; easy

2. archaic making little effort; passive

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Other Word Forms

• effortlessly adverb
• effortlessness noun

Etymology

Origin of effortless

First recorded in 1795–1805; effort + -less

Explanation

Something effortless is easy to do — or at least appears that way. Great basketball players make scoring three-point shots look effortless. If you always know just what to wear, you have an effortless sense of style. Effort is the work it takes to do something. Moving a couch and staying on a diet both require effort. If something is effortless, it takes no work at all to do. For example, lifting a feather is effortless. Writing may be effortless for some people, but difficult for others. Also, some things just look effortless. A great musician might make playing guitar sound effortless, but years of practice probably went into it. Experts make difficult things seem effortless.

Example Sentences

Singer Shreya Ghosal recalled growing up "listening to her, learning from her, and being in awe of her effortless versatility", adding that she made "every note feel alive, every emotion feel personal".

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

We watch our hero athletes handle all that pressure on the field, and they make it seem effortless.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

Godoy radiates effortless charisma, a kind of uncynical openness that feels both childlike and magnetic.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 10, 2026

There’s a persistent myth that romance has to be effortless to count.

From Salon • Feb. 10, 2026

My relationships with boys are effortless, which means that I put very little effort into them.

From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood

Related Words

• offhand
• painless
• uncomplicated