English Reference
Adjective

effortless

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˈɛfɝtɫəs/ UK /ˈɛfətləs/ ef·fort·less

adj.describing something that looks very easy to do, even if it is actually difficult. It shows that someone has a lot of skill or natural talent.

adj.appearing to require little or no physical or mental exertion. Often used to describe a performance or action that masks the underlying skill or hard work involved.


SIMPLE

She makes playing the piano look effortless.

CONTEXTUAL

The athlete won the race with an effortless stride, barely looking tired as he crossed the finish line.

COMPLEX

The author's effortless prose hides the fact that she spent years meticulously editing every sentence to achieve such a natural flow.

Usage

Typically used attributively before a noun or predicatively after a linking verb like 'seem' or 'look'.

Learning new systems is not effortless , even when the change is ultimately for the better.

Phys.org· 16 Aug 2026

When everything’s working smoothly, swallowing feels effortless, but it is one of the most complex actions the human body performs.

The Conversation· 3 Aug 2026

From effort + -less.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated