easier
easier — adjective
- easierpositive
- more easiercomparative
- most easiersuperlative
1. less difficult or requiring less effort to do, understand, or deal with than som
less difficult or requiring less effort to do, understand, or deal with than something else that is being compared.
The second exam was much easier than the first one, so Amelia finished it in twenty minutes.
comparative: easier + than + noun phrase
The new app made it easier for Mei-Lin to share design drawings with colleagues in Tokyo.
pattern: make + it + easier + for + agent + to-infinitive
Mathieu found it easier to learn Spanish after he had studied French for two years.
Cooking a large meal is easier when you chop all the vegetables before you start.
Moving the furniture was easier after Beatriz took the doors off their hinges.
- simpler
focuses on having fewer parts or steps rather than overall effort
- less challenging
more formal; emphasizes that something does not test one's abilities as much
- more straightforward
suggests clarity and lack of confusing elements
- harder
the direct opposite; requires more effort or skill
- more difficult
more formal than 'harder'; implies greater complexity
文法句型
easier + than + noun phrase
make/feel/find + it + easier + to-infinitive
用法筆記
Used to compare the difficulty of two tasks, methods, or situations. Often followed by than + noun phrase or used with the pattern make/find + it + easier + to-infinitive.
常見錯誤
2. feeling more at ease emotionally or physically, with less worry, stress, or disc
feeling more at ease emotionally or physically, with less worry, stress, or discomfort — describing how a person feels rather than how hard a task is.
Yasmin felt much easier about the job interview after she had practiced her answers.
feel + easier + about + noun phrase
Life became easier for the Watanabe family once they moved to a quieter neighborhood.
become + easier (describing a change in state)
Jun found life easier after moving to Bangkok, even with the tropical summer heat.
Talking to her best friend made the long hospital stay a little bit easier for Padma.
The new ergonomic chair is much easier on Darius's back than his old wooden stool.
- more comfortable
more general; can describe physical, emotional, or financial situations
- less stressful
focuses on the absence of pressure or anxiety
- more relaxed
suggests a calmer state of mind or atmosphere
- more uncomfortable
less physically or emotionally at ease
- more stressful
causing more worry or mental strain
文法句型
easier + to-infinitive
feel/get + easier
用法筆記
Often describes emotional or physical comfort rather than intellectual difficulty. Common in everyday expressions about quality of life, recovery, and emotional states.
常見錯誤
3. less steep or having a gentler incline, making movement or travel physically les
less steep or having a gentler incline, making movement or travel physically less demanding than an alternative route or surface.
The hikers chose the easier path up the mountain, which wound gently through the pine forest.
easier path / easier route (collocation with geographical features)
This trail is much easier than the northern route, because the incline never goes above ten degrees.
comparative: easier + than for slope comparison
Rin looked for an easier section of the riverbank where she could launch the canoe safely.
The southern staircase has easier steps, so elderly visitors prefer to use that entrance.
The eastern trail has a much easier incline because it follows the gentler slopes through the valley.
- more gradual
more formal; commonly used in technical descriptions of slopes
- less steep
more direct and transparent; refers to the angle of incline
- gentler
emphasizes a smoother, more moderate incline
- steeper
having a sharper, more abrupt incline
- more abrupt
describes a sudden change in height or angle
文法句型
easier + noun + than
用法筆記
Primarily used for physical landscapes, paths, stairs, ramps, and waterways. Not used for abstract difficulty.
4. more readily obtainable or available, especially regarding money, goods, or oppo
more readily obtainable or available, especially regarding money, goods, or opportunities that are simpler to access or acquire than before.
Online courses have made higher education easier to access for students in rural areas.
easier + to-infinitive (to access)
Fresh vegetables are easier to find at the farmer's market during the summer months.
easier + to-infinitive (to find)
Cheap airline tickets become easier to book when you are flexible about your travel dates.
Andrei noticed that parking spaces were easier to find after nine o'clock in the evening.
Bank loans were much easier to get two years ago than they are now under the new rules.
- more accessible
broader; can refer to physical, digital, or social access
- more plentiful
focuses on quantity rather than ease of acquisition
- scarcer
harder to find because less exists
- harder to come by
idiomatic; more difficult to obtain
文法句型
easier + to-infinitive (to get/find/buy/access)
用法筆記
Common in economic, commercial, and logistical contexts. Often used with infinitive verbs like to get, to find, to access, to obtain, and to buy.
5. more easily tricked, deceived, or taken advantage of, especially because of trus
more easily tricked, deceived, or taken advantage of, especially because of trustfulness or inexperience.
Street vendors often target tourists because they seem easier to convince with high prices.
easier + to-infinitive (to convince)
Beatrice warned her younger brother that dishonest salespeople would find him an easier target.
collocation: easier target
The scam artists looked for people who seemed easier to persuade with promises of free money.
Dario realized he had been an easier mark than he thought when the investment deal fell apart.
Elderly people living alone are sometimes easier targets for telephone fraudsters.
- more naive
focuses on lack of world experience rather than active trickery
- more vulnerable
broader; can refer to physical, emotional, or financial weakness
- more suspicious
less likely to trust others without evidence
- harder to fool
more skeptical and difficult to deceive
文法句型
easier + noun (target/mark/victim)
用法筆記
Frequently used in warnings or cautionary statements. Typically paired with nouns like target, mark, or victim. Can sound judgmental — use carefully when describing people.
6. (dated and potentially offensive) more willing to engage in casual sexual relati
(dated and potentially offensive) more willing to engage in casual sexual relationships, used as a derogatory judgment about a person's character.
In novels from the 1950s, a woman who dated freely was sometimes described as easier, a label considered offensive today.
dated, derogatory usage (historical context made explicit)
The older women in the village whispered that Clara was easier than the girls who had grown up there.
comparative form in period gossip context
In some old novels, a widow who remarried quickly was described as easier than her more cautious sisters.
My grandmother said that women in her youth were called easier than others just for wearing makeup to church.
用法筆記
Strongly offensive and dated. Learners should understand this sense when reading older literature or media but avoid using it in modern conversation. The term carries a sexist double standard.
easier — adverb
1. with less difficulty or effort than something else; used informally instead of '
with less difficulty or effort than something else; used informally instead of 'more easily.'
Sora learned to play the guitar easier than his older brother because he practiced every day.
comparative adverb: easier + than
Priya assembled the bookshelf much easier after sorting the wooden pieces and screws.
modifier: much + easier (informal adverb)
Sirin found that she memorized vocabulary easier with flashcards than with long reading lists.
The new vacuum cleaner glides across the floor easier than the old heavy one did.
The hollandaise sauce comes together easier when the eggs and butter are at room temperature.
- more easily
the standard adverbial form; appropriate in all contexts including formal writing
- with less effort
more formal; used in written instructions and descriptions
- with more difficulty
formal; opposite of 'easier' as an adverb
- less easily
the standard adverbial opposite
文法句型
verb + easier + (than) + noun phrase
用法筆記
In formal writing and speech, 'more easily' is preferred over 'easier' as an adverb. 'Easier' as an adverb is common in everyday spoken English but may be marked as incorrect in formal contexts.
常見錯誤
2. with less speed, force, or intensity than before; more gently or cautiously.
with less speed, force, or intensity than before; more gently or cautiously.
The doctor told Darius to take it easier for the next few weeks after his surgery.
fixed phrase: take it easier
Tomas took the winding coastal road much easier, keeping his speed under forty kilometres an hour.
fixed phrase: take + route/road + easier (reduce speed/intensity)
The teacher asked the students to go easier on the art supplies since they were running low.
After their argument ended, they agreed to take things easier and not mention old problems.
The hiking guide advised them to take the steep downhill sections easier, with short slow steps to protect their knees.
- more gently
emphasizes care and softness rather than speed reduction
- more slowly
directly opposite; focuses on reduced pace
- faster
more quickly; opposite of slower pace
- more aggressively
with greater force or intensity
文法句型
go/take + it + easier
drive/walk + easier
用法筆記
Common in phrasal expressions like 'take it easier' (slow down, relax) and 'go easier on something' (use less of it). Often gives advice about reducing pace or intensity.
常見錯誤
3. with less mental worry or emotional strain, allowing you to feel calmer and more
with less mental worry or emotional strain, allowing you to feel calmer and more at peace.
After she finished her exams, Amelia could finally breathe easier and enjoy the weekend.
fixed phrase: breathe easier / breathe easy
Sofia could rest easier after the company announced strong third-quarter profits.
fixed phrase: rest easier (mental relief after good news)
Once the baby learned to sleep through the night, the parents could live a little easier.
Knowing that her mother was in good hands, Marta slept easier than she had in weeks.
After her daughter's fever broke, the nurse worked easier, humming softly as she tidied the ward.
- more calmly
focuses on emotional composure rather than overall comfort
- with less stress
emphasizes the absence of pressure or strain
- more anxiously
with greater worry or nervousness
- with more strain
under greater pressure or difficulty
文法句型
breathe/rest/sleep/work + easier
用法筆記
Common in expressions about mental or emotional relief ('breathe easier,' 'rest easier'). Unlike sense 1 (effort), this sense focuses on freedom from anxiety rather than ease of execution.