user-friendly

American  

[yoo-zer-frend-lee] / ˈyu zərˈfrɛnd li /

adjective

1. easy to use, operate, understand, etc..

   the most user-friendly personal computer now on the market.

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user-friendly British  

adjective

1. easy to use or understand

   a user-friendly dictionary

2. (of a computer system) easily operated and understood by means of a straightforward guide in jargon-free language

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Other Word Forms

• user-friendliness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of user-friendly

First recorded in 1980–85

Explanation

A gadget that is user-friendly is easy to use. User-friendly devices can be used quickly, even if you haven't used anything like it before. Have you ever tried to use something like a video camera and had a hard time figuring out how to use it, even after reading the instructions? Devices that are difficult to use are not user-friendly. A user-friendly device is easy to figure out. The designer has thought about how a new user would approach it and has made the experience simple. Just about anyone can pick a user-friendly device up and start using it.

Example Sentences

User-friendly design can save lives by allowing for legibility and shared understanding, making it safer to run nuclear power plants, air traffic control towers, and robotic surgical systems.

From Slate • Apr. 4, 2026

User-friendly design also paved the way for innovation.

From Slate • Apr. 4, 2026

User-friendly formats include Microsoft Excel and other programs.

From Washington Times • Feb. 24, 2016

User-friendly online guidelines plus a very clear list of risks spelled out on the pill package could make this information easily accessible.

From Slate • Mar. 19, 2012

Related Words

• convenient
• foolproof
• handy