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
Piper finds a connection to her characters effortlessly, and conveys their truth which a remarkable ease. Heide Janssen, Orange County Register, 17 Mar. 2024 People are prioritizing the ease and comfort of snacking in their busy lifestyles—often, even replacing entire meals for it. Byprarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 14 Mar. 2024 But there’s a natural cool with Cillian—an ease and a nonchalance about him. Christian Allaire, Vogue, 11 Mar. 2024 Designed to sit under cabinets, this opening tool provides convenience, ease of use, and reliability. Michelle Love, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Mar. 2024 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
Verb
Signs that employers plan solid wage hikes appear to have swayed the central bank toward finally easing away from the massive monetary easing employed over many years to try to spur growth in a country where the population is quickly falling and aging. Zimo Zhong, Quartz, 18 Mar. 2024 Flooding foreign markets with surplus goods should help ease global inflation. David J. Lynch, Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2024 Several types of over-the-counter solutions can help ease allergy symptoms. Nora Colomer, Fox News, 18 Mar. 2024 Aid groups have called on Israel to open more border crossings directly into northern Gaza, where food shortages are most extreme, and to ease restrictions on convoys. Anushka Patil, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024 Opting for blue-light-filtering or anti-glare glasses and putting some space between you and your computer (ideally two feet), can also ease the intensity, per Dr. Tzikas. Julia Sullivan, SELF, 14 Mar. 2024 More repairs — both essential and costly — to keep the 90-year-old ship operational are still expected, but city officials are optimistic the financial headwinds the ship has battled are easing. Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024 The 2023 tax burden, meanwhile, was higher than in the previous year but the company expects that pressure on earnings to ease in the future. Anna Cooban, CNN, 13 Mar. 2024 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

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 29 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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