ease

1 of 2

noun

1
: the state of being comfortable: such as
a
: freedom from pain or discomfort
b
: freedom from care
c
: freedom from labor or difficulty
d
: freedom from embarrassment or constraint : naturalness
known for his charm and ease of manner
e
: an easy fit
2
: relief from discomfort or obligation
3
: facility, effortlessness
did it with ease
4
: an act of easing or a state of being eased
easeful adjective
easefully adverb

ease

2 of 2

verb

eased; easing

transitive verb

1
: to free from something that pains, disquiets, or burdens
trying to ease her of her worries
2
: to make less painful : alleviate
ease his suffering
3
a
: to lessen the pressure or tension of especially by slackening, lifting, or shifting
ease a spring
b
: to maneuver gently or carefully
eased himself into the chair
c
: to moderate or reduce especially in amount or intensity
ease a flow
4
: to make less difficult
ease credit
5
a
: to put the helm of (a ship) alee
b
: to let (a helm or rudder) come back a little after having been put hard over

intransitive verb

1
: to give freedom or relief
2
: to move or pass slowly or easily
often used with a directional word (such as over or up)
the limo eased up in front of the house
3
a
: to become less intense, vigorous, or engaged : become moderate
usually used with up or off
told her staff to ease up a little
expected the storm to ease off
ease up on fatty foods
b
: to apply less pressure
usually used with up or off
ease up on the accelerator
c
: to act in a less harsh manner
usually used with up or off
decided to ease off on enforcement
Phrases
at ease
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 ease in a Sentence

Noun the sunburn medication brought me instant ease a gymnast who can handle even the most demanding moves on the parallel bars with total ease Verb trying to ease my troubled mind The diplomats failed to ease tensions between the two nations. Authorities are looking for ways to ease prison overcrowding. The government is expected to ease travel restrictions.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Risks ease for Colorado River reservoirs after wet winter, but long-term challenges loom. Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024 The debt for the relative ease of Berti’s job is owed to the winery’s founder, Piero Palmucci, whose team did extensive research into which clones of Sangiovese are best suited to this estate in the southeast of Montalcino and to Claudio Tipa, who took over the winery in 2011. Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 5 Mar. 2024 David LaChapelle’s controversial high fashion hurricane, two decades on Previously, rooftops had always brought to Ahn’s mind a sense of ease and comfort. Jacqui Palumbo, CNN, 1 Mar. 2024 Photo: Logan Mock The campaign unites Richie Grainge’s California sense of ease with her interest in Art Nouveau. Alexis Bennett Parker, Vogue, 29 Feb. 2024 Although developer-first API solutions aim to provide ease of integration with the rest of your technology stack, always check the list of integrations and your team’s needs to ensure required integrations either already exist with that API solution or can be built easily. Steve Rodda, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 If the Huntersville native can put evaluators at ease with his physical performance on the field and his responses in the interview room, Jeremiah believes Maye could help himself out and solidify his standing near the top of draft board. Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 27 Feb. 2024 Byron is surveying rout and pillage, and the terrible ease with which the laws of civil society, such as respect for the elderly, are flung aside. Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2024 Nicholson, giving an astonishing performance, displays a gorgeous ease onstage, and is able to play Damon as both the supportive lover and the pleading bully, sometimes in the same moment, his arms around Nina’s waist. Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 22 Feb. 2024
Verb
Some cannabinoids the bill bans from hemp extract exist in low levels in some CBD products people use to manage health conditions, including some of the oils from Charlotte’s Web, created for a young girl who had epilepsy and used CBD to ease her seizures. Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2024 They were accused of pressuring federal thrift regulators to ease their scrutiny of political benefactor Charles Keating Jr., the chairman of Lincoln Savings & Loan. Kira Caspers, The Arizona Republic, 6 Mar. 2024 Analysts estimate the initiative would raise roughly $66.1 million annually, easing the pace and scale of road rot. When presented with the plan, some council members waxed skeptical. Jaime Moore-Carrillo, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Mar. 2024 The Biden administration, for one, is playing up strong growth, a booming job market and easing inflation. Rachel Siegel, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 Thankfully sleep issues tend to ease as our kiddos get older. Kristina Behr, Parents, 6 Mar. 2024 Advocates say a greater cultural shift is needed to ease the stark choice between career and family for women. Cameron Pugh, The Christian Science Monitor, 5 Mar. 2024 Morin said in addition to the support group, the seminars helped ease the fear and guilt that once haunted her. Barry Petersen, CBS News, 2 Mar. 2024 Nithya Raman won a spot on the Los Angeles City Council four years ago by promising to ease the city’s homelessness crisis. Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ease.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English ese, from Anglo-French eise, aise convenience, comfort, ultimately from Latin adjacent-, adjacens neighboring — more at adjacent

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ease was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near ease

Cite this Entry

“Ease.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ease. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ease

1 of 2 noun
1
: freedom from pain or trouble : comfort of body or mind
a life of ease
2
: freedom from any feeling of difficulty or embarrassment
speak with ease
3
: skill that does not require a lot of hard work
rides a horse with ease

ease

2 of 2 verb
eased; easing
1
: to free from discomfort or worry : relieve
ease one's pain
2
: to make less tight or difficult : loosen
ease up on the rope
3
: to move slowly or gently
eased herself into the chair

Medical Definition

ease

verb
eased; easing

transitive verb

1
: to free from something that pains, disquiets, or burdens
eased and comforted the sick
2
: to take away or lessen : alleviate
took an aspirin to ease the pain

intransitive verb

: to give freedom or relief (as from pain or discomfort)
a hot bath often eases and relaxes

More from Merriam-Webster on ease

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