What does easily mean?
Easily is an adverb with two main uses in modern English. Its primary sense means 'without difficulty or effort,' as when a task can be easily completed or a door opens easily. Its secondary sense expresses likelihood or certainty, as in 'she could easily arrive late,' where the speaker suggests a strong possibility rather than actual effortlessness. The word derives from Middle English, formed from the adjective 'easy' combined with the adverbial suffix '-ly.' It appears frequently in everyday speech and writing across all registers, making it one of the more versatile adverbs in the language. Related terms include 'ease' (noun), 'easy' (adjective), and 'uneasy' (adjective), all tracing back through Old French 'aise' to a root suggesting comfort or rest.
adverbWithout difficulty or effort; with ease. Also used to mean without doubt, very likely, or by a considerable margin.
- without difficulty or effort; with ease
- without doubt; certainly; very likely
- by a large margin; considerably
"She easily won the race, finishing ten seconds ahead of her nearest rival."
"The instructions were clear enough that anyone could easily follow them."
"He could easily be the best player on the team."
Despite meaning 'without effort,' 'easily' contains the same ancient root as 'disease' — Latin 'aise' meant comfort, so disease was literally the absence of ease.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of easily
Easily derives from Middle English, formed by combining the adjective 'easy' with the common adverbial suffix '-ly.' The adjective 'easy' traces back through Anglo-Norman and Old French 'aise' (meaning comfort or pleasure), which itself likely comes from a Germanic source. Cognates sharing this root include 'ease,' 'uneasy,' and 'disease,' the latter originally meaning simply the absence of comfort or well-being.
How easily is actually used
Common in both formal and informal registers. In the sense of probability ('he could easily win'), it functions as a hedge expressing likelihood rather than certainty. When modifying a negative construction ('not easily'), it often implies resistance or rarity.
Easily confused with easily
'Easy' is an adjective describing something requiring little effort, while 'easily' is the adverb describing how an action is performed.