Word
user friendly
Definition
adj. easy to use or understand, especially when talking about a computer, machine, or website. You use this to describe things that are designed well for the person using them.
adj. designed to be easy for a person to operate or understand. Typically describes software, hardware, or complex systems that prioritise the needs and capabilities of the end user.
Examples
“The new app is very user-friendly.”
“The company redesigned its website to be more user-friendly, making it easier for customers to find the help section.”
“While the previous software required extensive technical training, the updated interface is remarkably user-friendly, allowing even novice employees to navigate the database with minimal supervision.”
Examples
simple
“The new app is very user-friendly.”
contextual
“The company redesigned its website to be more user-friendly, making it easier for customers to find the help section.”
complex
“While the previous software required extensive technical training, the updated interface is remarkably user-friendly, allowing even novice employees to navigate the database with minimal supervision.”
Usage
Typically used attributively before a noun or predicatively after a linking verb like 'is' or 'seems'.
Pitfall
The system is user-friendlily.
The system is user-friendly.
Learners sometimes try to turn this compound adjective into an adverb, but 'user-friendly' is used as the complement after 'is'.
Etymology
Formed from the noun user and the adjective friendly. The term emerged in the 1970s as part of a linguistic pattern of appending -friendly to nouns to denote compatibility or ease of access.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/user-friendly