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
eased; easing
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
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
Synonyms
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
Bethany Braun-Silva, ABC News, 11 Apr. 2024
When possible, always warm up the heart and ease into hard exercise.
—Bryant Stamford, The Courier-Journal, 11 Apr. 2024
The Everlane ReNew Transit Backpack keeps all your commuting essentials within reach for ease and peace of mind.
—L.a. Hubilla, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024
But as with other types of gig work, the ease of flexible hours comes with its own challenges.
—Yiwen Lu, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2024
The risk, Gruber says, is a sort of Facebook-ification of AI assistants, where users are lured in by the ease of use, but remain largely unaware of the privacy consequences until later.
—Boone Ashworth, WIRED, 10 Apr. 2024
With that said though, the ease of delivery is where online florists really shine.
—Molly Peck, USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2024
With its sleek design, ease of use, and advanced features, the charging dock has quickly become a must-have accessory for gamers.
—Stack Commerce, Popular Science, 3 Apr. 2024
User Experience: Factors such as ease of use, packaging quality, and overall user experience contribute to a product's ranking.
—Lara Stewart, Discover Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024
Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024
The availability of immigrant workers eased the pressure on companies to sharply raise wages and to then pass on their higher labor costs to their customers via higher prices that feed inflation.
—Paul Wiseman, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2024
When applied topically, breast milk may ease irritating skin conditions, some data show.
—Katie Camero, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024
In March, the US economy added 303,000 jobs, the unemployment rate remained below 4%, and wage growth eased closer to historic norms.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN, 11 Apr. 2024
The fundraiser jokingly suggests that by naming them, tensions will ease and the geese will be happier.
—Katie Wiseman, The Indianapolis Star, 11 Apr. 2024
Another change in how Android deals with apps may ease life for people using alternate app stores on phones running low on storage.
—Rob Pegoraro, PCMAG, 11 Apr. 2024
Japan has also eased a postwar ban on the export of lethal weapons and has been a leader in establishing security groupings such as the Quad, which also includes the U.S., India and Australia.
—Jennifer Jett, NBC News, 10 Apr. 2024
On Monday, President Joe Biden unveiled a new student loan forgiveness plan to ease debt burdens for more than 30 million borrowers.
—Ethan Varian, The Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2024
Noun
Consider the material, thread count, breathability and ease of care when making your decision.
—Bethany Braun-Silva, ABC News, 11 Apr. 2024
When possible, always warm up the heart and ease into hard exercise.
—Bryant Stamford, The Courier-Journal, 11 Apr. 2024
The Everlane ReNew Transit Backpack keeps all your commuting essentials within reach for ease and peace of mind.
—L.a. Hubilla, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024
But as with other types of gig work, the ease of flexible hours comes with its own challenges.
—Yiwen Lu, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2024
The risk, Gruber says, is a sort of Facebook-ification of AI assistants, where users are lured in by the ease of use, but remain largely unaware of the privacy consequences until later.
—Boone Ashworth, WIRED, 10 Apr. 2024
With that said though, the ease of delivery is where online florists really shine.
—Molly Peck, USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2024
With its sleek design, ease of use, and advanced features, the charging dock has quickly become a must-have accessory for gamers.
—Stack Commerce, Popular Science, 3 Apr. 2024
User Experience: Factors such as ease of use, packaging quality, and overall user experience contribute to a product's ranking.
—Lara Stewart, Discover Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024
Verb
But in 1959, federal law eased development restrictions, clearing the way for the Indian landowners to offer prospective tenants 99-year leases.
—Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024
The availability of immigrant workers eased the pressure on companies to sharply raise wages and to then pass on their higher labor costs to their customers via higher prices that feed inflation.
—Paul Wiseman, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2024
When applied topically, breast milk may ease irritating skin conditions, some data show.
—Katie Camero, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024
In March, the US economy added 303,000 jobs, the unemployment rate remained below 4%, and wage growth eased closer to historic norms.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN, 11 Apr. 2024
The fundraiser jokingly suggests that by naming them, tensions will ease and the geese will be happier.
—Katie Wiseman, The Indianapolis Star, 11 Apr. 2024
Another change in how Android deals with apps may ease life for people using alternate app stores on phones running low on storage.
—Rob Pegoraro, PCMAG, 11 Apr. 2024
Japan has also eased a postwar ban on the export of lethal weapons and has been a leader in establishing security groupings such as the Quad, which also includes the U.S., India and Australia.
—Jennifer Jett, NBC News, 10 Apr. 2024
On Monday, President Joe Biden unveiled a new student loan forgiveness plan to ease debt burdens for more than 30 million borrowers.
—Ethan Varian, The Mercury News, 8 Apr. 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.
Dictionary Entries Near ease
Cite this Entry
“Ease.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ease. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ease
1 of 2 noun1
: 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
Medical Definition
ease
verb
eased; easing
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
: to give freedom or relief (as from pain or discomfort)
a hot bath often eases and relaxes
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