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

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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)

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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
This is hands-down the ultimate all-in-one party machine in its price bracket. — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 2 Oct. 2026 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 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
  • The intensity of their yearning has only increased on their second album, Nature’s Pill—and that’s no easy feat, considering this is a band whose breakout track opens with the narrator prostrating himself before the object of his affection.
    — Colin Joyce, Pitchfork, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Celebrity hairstylist Brian Magallones considers this the perfect balance between a not-too-fussy and not-too-structured chignon, a style that sounds tough to style without a professional team but is actually quite easy to master at-home.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of easy
Adverb
  • Mayer also clarified that a new single is definitely coming this year.
    — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 16 Oct. 2026
  • El Pollo Loco, which is headquartered in Costa Mesa, definitely is on the move.
    — Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of definitely
Adverb
  • As such, it could be easily exported to describe Jewish quarters elsewhere—and eventually adapted to describe sites of confinement or exclusion the world over.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The moon's glare will hide faint nearby stars, but Saturn itself is easily bright enough to cope.
    — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of easily
Verb
  • In addition to scaring the bejesus out of Hamlet and demanding blood, the ghost informs the audience exactly how the murder occurred.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The facility lacks a verifiable method that informs food employees of their responsibility to report their health status in regards to illnesses that can spread through food.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of informs
Adjective
  • Court challenges meant this process wasn't always smooth, but the results speak from themselves.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 13 Oct. 2026
  • If Waldron, who currently serves as Goldman president and chief operating officer, takes over as CEO, Solomon would likely remain as executive chairman for a period of time, an arrangement designed to engineer a smooth handoff.
    — Hugh Son,Laya Neelakandan,Leslie Picker,Ritika Shah, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of smooth
Adverb
  • The song makes clear that while Jake Shane might not be this generation’s Truman Capote, Troye Sivan certainly isn’t either.
    — Harry Tafoya, Pitchfork, 14 Oct. 2026
  • There’s certainly many of these systems that have been found in nature, but a good number of them have gone on to be developed into useful tools.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of certainly
Adverb
  • Their research showed that Chinese import competition did lasting damage to American manufacturing communities, which did not adjust as smoothly as optimistic accounts of globalization predicted.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026
  • In theory, the casting of ballots should proceed smoothly from here.
    — Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of smoothly
Verb
  • For example, Maricopa County (where their property is) offers a free Title Alert service that notifies residents when documents are recorded under their name or business.
    — Christopher A. Combs, AZCentral.com, 22 Sep. 2026
  • The permit allows any use across Clark County and extends to the entire state of Nevada if Tesla notifies the commission of expansion plans in advance.
    — James Peckham, PC Magazine, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of notifies

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Cite this Entry

“Hands-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hands-down. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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