as in easy
involving minimal difficulty or effort
after all that worrying, the game for the championship turned out to be a hands-down win
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in definitely
without any question
she is hands down the most gifted musician in the class
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in easily
without difficulty
she'll win the dancing competition hands down
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in passes (down)
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
2
as in kithes
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hands-down
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
3 July 2026
The hands-down highlight, though, is The Point, a spectacular circular building with a Spanish restaurant downstairs and an infinity pool with a swim-up bar upstairs.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 June 2026
GoPro still led the pack in slow motion (the Hero13 goes to 400fps in some modes), but could no longer claim to have the hands-down best action camera.
—
Jim Fisher,
PC Magazine,
11 June 2026
This is my all-time favorite Jane Austen novel—and hands-down favorite literary love story.
—
The Week Us,
TheWeek,
10 June 2026
But Ramis' best output is hands-down Groundhog Day (1993).
—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 June 2026
Convenient and effective, at keeping your beverages cool, yes, but the worst part about most coolers is hands-down the bulkiness.
—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 May 2026
This is my hands-down favorite purse because of the clever design.
—
Jacqueline Tempera,
PEOPLE,
5 May 2026
But his hands-down, semi-reckless style typically gives opponents a high offensive floor early in the fight, which has always been a concern of mine.
—
Brett Appley,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Best Restaurants Shift Kitchen & Bar A hands-down favorite for Marquess is Shift, which has been recognized by the James Beard Foundation and has a menu that includes family-style plates and a beloved dessert menu.
—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
3 July 2026
The hands-down highlight, though, is The Point, a spectacular circular building with a Spanish restaurant downstairs and an infinity pool with a swim-up bar upstairs.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 June 2026
GoPro still led the pack in slow motion (the Hero13 goes to 400fps in some modes), but could no longer claim to have the hands-down best action camera.
—
Jim Fisher,
PC Magazine,
11 June 2026
This is my all-time favorite Jane Austen novel—and hands-down favorite literary love story.
—
The Week Us,
TheWeek,
10 June 2026
But Ramis' best output is hands-down Groundhog Day (1993).
—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 June 2026
Convenient and effective, at keeping your beverages cool, yes, but the worst part about most coolers is hands-down the bulkiness.
—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 May 2026
This is my hands-down favorite purse because of the clever design.
—
Jacqueline Tempera,
PEOPLE,
5 May 2026
But his hands-down, semi-reckless style typically gives opponents a high offensive floor early in the fight, which has always been a concern of mine.
—
Brett Appley,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hands-down
Adjective
-
The interior also comes with a cotton liner, which will be much easier to spot-clean should your cosmetics or snacks leave a stain.
-
Keep in mind that Santorini’s wine story is also an agricultural story, and Gaia makes that easier to feel.
Adverb
-
Cain pointed out that having the president of the United States greasing the wheels definitely helped speed things along.
-
It’s also led by arguably (but definitely, in my opinion) the best player to ever play the sport, Lionel Messi.
Adverb
-
People of all ages and ethnicities waited in a line that was easily an hour long.
-
The ribs should bend easily and the meat should begin pulling back from the bones.
Verb
-
Welcome to Latest & Greatest, a franchise that celebrates all the shiniest new beauty launches of the month and informs you what’s worth your time and cash.
-
Or a financial services firm where risk scoring informs underwriting, which informs pricing.
Adjective
-
Morton kosher salt and blend until mostly smooth with no whole pieces of corn left, about 4 minutes.
-
Directions In a large bowl whisk together vanilla pudding mix, whole milk, sour cream, vanilla extract, and salt in a large bowl until slightly thickened and smooth, about 1 minute.
Adverb
-
Sometimes, were stymied because the conduct is based, the servers are based, outside of certainly Manhattan, but in many instances outside the United States.
-
The fact that my son and his girlfriend live in Kansas City certainly helped spark our newfound fascination.
Adverb
-
Atlanta companies and commuters have adapted to the inevitable traffic and congestion of the World Cup, finding ways to keep business flowing smoothly while allowing their employees to experience a unique opportunity.
-
However, the rush to launch sites that look as slick as iPhone ads has not always gone smoothly.
Verb
-
The Bureau of Prisons has a drone alert system that notifies prison staff when a drone is nearby, according to court documents.
-
The first step is typically a summons and complaint, which notifies you that legal action has been initiated.
Cite this Entry
“Hands-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hands-down. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
