hands-down 1 of 3

adjective

Definition of hands-downnext
as in easy
involving minimal difficulty or effort after all that worrying, the game for the championship turned out to be a hands-down win

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

hands down

2 of 3

adverb

ˈhan(d)z-ˈdau̇n How to pronounce hands down (audio)
1
as in definitely
without any question she is hands down the most gifted musician in the class

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in easily
without difficulty she'll win the dancing competition hands down

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

hands down

3 of 3

verb

present tense third-person singular of hand down
1
as in passes (down)

Related Words

Dissimilar Words
2
as in kithes

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Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hands-down
Adjective
Splatoon Raiders is really enjoyable, hands-down, and as the developers have put it, full of ‘pleasant busyness’. — Mitch Wallace, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026 Best Restaurants Shift Kitchen & Bar A hands-down favorite for Marquess is Shift, which has been recognized by the James Beard Foundation and has a menu that includes family-style plates and a beloved dessert menu. — Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 3 July 2026 The hands-down highlight, though, is The Point, a spectacular circular building with a Spanish restaurant downstairs and an infinity pool with a swim-up bar upstairs. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 June 2026 GoPro still led the pack in slow motion (the Hero13 goes to 400fps in some modes), but could no longer claim to have the hands-down best action camera. — Jim Fisher, PC Magazine, 11 June 2026 This is my all-time favorite Jane Austen novel—and hands-down favorite literary love story. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 10 June 2026 But Ramis' best output is hands-down Groundhog Day (1993). — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 8 June 2026 Convenient and effective, at keeping your beverages cool, yes, but the worst part about most coolers is hands-down the bulkiness. — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 May 2026 This is my hands-down favorite purse because of the clever design. — Jacqueline Tempera, PEOPLE, 5 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hands-down
  1. easy
  2. definitely
  3. easily
  4. informs
  5. smooth
  6. certainly
  7. smoothly
  8. notifies
Adjective
  • Cease made similarly easy work of the Red Sox in a 1-2-3 first inning that ended with a Rutschman strikeout, but Boston fared significantly better against him overall.
    — Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 12 Aug. 2026
  • There’s ready-to-wear, sure, but also accessories that are easy to carry from one season to the next.
    — Andrea Zendejas, Vogue, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of easy
Adverb
  • In a region where air conditioning runs for months at a time, the savings definitely add up.
    — Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The song’s pace changed from a blitz into a groove, not so much a mosh part, but definitely more danceable.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of definitely
Adverb
  • Mornings can easily be filled wandering the grounds, and afternoons could disappear beside one of the two pools or beneath an olive tree with a good book.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The Gemini Moon moves through your 5th House of Creativity and sextiles the Leo Sun in your 7th House of Partnership, helping humor, flirtation, brainstorming, or self-expression flow more easily with someone else.
    — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of easily
Verb
  • This formative experience informs how Chidi approaches the foundation's commitment to meeting people within their circumstances rather than imposing external solutions.
    — Mena Mirhom, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • That combined experience informs Hades Films’ goal of creating theatrical horror made for Gen Z — without treating younger audiences like a market segment that can be reverse-engineered.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of informs
Adjective
  • There’s a symmetry despite all four stands having a different design, ranging from the concrete pillars of the Bramall Lane end to the much smoother lines seen along the John Street Stand.
    — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Pips-in rubber, or inverted rubber, is smooth on the outer surface, and the pips instead touch the inside of the foam.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of smooth
Adverb
  • Scheffler certainly hasn't struggled to find consistency this season.
    — Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Things have certainly gone up a level, too, with her new punky cropped haircut.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of certainly
Adverb
  • While three smaller blinds installed smoothly, offering lessons on pre-charging motors and remote programming, the largest window presented significant challenges.
    — Scott Kramer, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Adaptive brightness smoothly adjusts the display based on the ambient lighting, and while the original Ultra is bright enough to read even in direct sunlight, the boost is welcome in harsh conditions and when using the watch as a flashlight.
    — Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of smoothly
Verb
  • At the same time, Kanary notifies the website that the attorney general knows of their violation.
    — Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The Monetary Authority of Singapore added the platform to its Investor Alert List in June, which publicly notifies people that an entity is neither licensed nor authorized in the city-state.
    — Anniek Bao,Jenny Lee, CNBC, 23 July 2026
Definition of notifies

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Hands-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hands-down. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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