at ease

phrase

1

: free from pain or discomfort

2

a

: free from restraint or formality

feels most at ease with old friends

b

: standing silently (as in a military formation) with the feet apart, the right foot in place, and one or both hands behind the body

—often used as a command

Examples of at ease in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Offering a glass of champagne which relaxes them, a question about where guests are visiting from or a discussion about their day in Napa helps establish trust and puts diners at ease. — Yuri Shima, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026

Unlike many of his contemporaries, Robyn Hitchcock seems at ease posting videos on Instagram. — David Harris, SPIN, 24 July 2026

Rossum, by contrast, conjures a woman unable to enjoy anything; her dead-eyed smiles, meant (unsuccessfully) to put others at ease, are haunting. — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 22 July 2026

Adam has written about books, TV, and music for over a decade, most recently as founder of the digital media outlet Debutiful, but felt less at ease writing about himself. — Literary Hub, 17 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for at ease

• agrees
• appease
• bougies
• burmese
• chemise
• chickpeas
• chinese
• cowpeas
• curies
• decrees
• degrees
• disease