Facile
adjective
Easy to do or understand, not complicated.
Learning the alphabet is a facile task for most children.
Often appears as...
- facile task
- facile solution
adjective
Seems simple, but lacks depth or careful thought.
Critics dismissed his work as facile and trivial.
Often appears as...
- facile argument
- facile dismissal
Usage tips
Disapproving
adjective
Easy to do or understand, not complicated.
Learning the alphabet is a facile task for most children.
Often appears as...
- facile task
- facile solution
adjective
Seems simple, but lacks depth or careful thought.
Critics dismissed his work as facile and trivial.
Often appears as...
- facile argument
- facile dismissal
Usage tips
Disapproving
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Not Complex
Use 'facile' when something is not only easy but also uncomplicated and can be done without much effort.
Solving a basic addition problem is a facile task.
Pro Tip 2/3Positive Connotation
'Facile' often has a positive tone, suggesting that the ease is satisfying or advantageous.
She found a facile solution that saved the company time and money.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Always Good
Be cautious; sometimes 'easy' may not be ideal, such as when complexity is necessary for depth.
The teacher's facile explanation failed to cover the subject's depth.
Pro Tip 1/3Not Complex
Use 'facile' when something is not only easy but also uncomplicated and can be done without much effort.
Solving a basic addition problem is a facile task.
Pro Tip 2/3Positive Connotation
'Facile' often has a positive tone, suggesting that the ease is satisfying or advantageous.
She found a facile solution that saved the company time and money.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Always Good
Be cautious; sometimes 'easy' may not be ideal, such as when complexity is necessary for depth.
The teacher's facile explanation failed to cover the subject's depth.
Pro Tip 1/3Not Complex
Use 'facile' when something is not only easy but also uncomplicated and can be done without much effort.
Solving a basic addition problem is a facile task.
Pro Tip 2/3Positive Connotation
'Facile' often has a positive tone, suggesting that the ease is satisfying or advantageous.
She found a facile solution that saved the company time and money.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Always Good
Be cautious; sometimes 'easy' may not be ideal, such as when complexity is necessary for depth.
The teacher's facile explanation failed to cover the subject's depth.
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Video examples
Bruce Schneier: The...
There were people who were afraid to push doorbells, because there was electricity in there, and that was dangerous. For us, we're very facile around electricity. We change light bulbs without even thinking about it. Our model of security around electricity is something we were born into.
Video examples
Telling History: Behind...
this became extraordinarily valuable to us mr. president today we're all I think the thing that we've been blessed with on all of our killing productions is for most writers who are incredibly facile with the material and deeply familiar
Video examples
Bruce Schneier: The...
There were people who were afraid to push doorbells, because there was electricity in there, and that was dangerous. For us, we're very facile around electricity. We change light bulbs without even thinking about it. Our model of security around electricity is something we were born into.
Video examples
Telling History: Behind...
this became extraordinarily valuable to us mr. president today we're all I think the thing that we've been blessed with on all of our killing productions is for most writers who are incredibly facile with the material and deeply familiar
Example 1 of 2
Quote examples
Tracy K. Smith
American Poet
The glib, facile, simplistic, and prefabricated language by which we as consumers are constantly surrounded is a language that flatters us, that urges us to indulge ourselves, to get away from it all, to be unique by opting in, talking back, liking us on Facebook, leaving a review, sharing, retweeting, etc.
Quote examples
Prashant Bhushan
Indian Lawyer
It is this obsession with GDP and FDI growth and a facile belief that this growth in the GDP would trickle down to the poor as well, that has led to the neglect of the genuine concerns of the poor in the country.
Quote examples
Will Self
English Author
As a species, we're addicted to the facile discrimination involved in saying that something or phenomenon is either 'this' or 'that' - how much more uncomfortable that it may well be 'the other'.
Quote examples
Robert Rauschenberg
American Artist
I'm not so facile that I can accomplish or find out what I want to know or explore enough of the possibilities and a way of making a painting, say, in just one painting or two paintings.
Quote examples
Umberto Eco
Italian Novelist
All the religious wars that have caused blood to be shed for centuries arise from passionate feelings and facile counter-positions, such as Us and Them, good and bad, white and black.
Quote examples
Peter York
British Journalist
It's just as well that I write in the same facile way wherever I am - no blocks or anguish, no contemplation, no elaborate revision, no need for love-tokens or nice views.
Quote examples
Jerry Garcia
American Singer
Death comes at you no matter what you do in this life, and to equate drugs with death is a facile comparison.
Quote examples
Timothy Spall
English Actor
If one wants to measure oneself by the facile accruement of awards, then I've done very well.
Quote examples
Faith Baldwin
American Novelist
Sometimes there is a greater lack of communication in facile talking than in silence.
Quote examples
George Santayana
Spanish Philosopher
The hunger for facile wisdom is the root of all false philosophy.
Quote examples
Tracy K. Smith
American Poet
The glib, facile, simplistic, and prefabricated language by which we as consumers are constantly surrounded is a language that flatters us, that urges us to indulge ourselves, to get away from it all, to be unique by opting in, talking back, liking us on Facebook, leaving a review, sharing, retweeting, etc.
Quote examples
Prashant Bhushan
Indian Lawyer
It is this obsession with GDP and FDI growth and a facile belief that this growth in the GDP would trickle down to the poor as well, that has led to the neglect of the genuine concerns of the poor in the country.
Quote examples
Will Self
English Author
As a species, we're addicted to the facile discrimination involved in saying that something or phenomenon is either 'this' or 'that' - how much more uncomfortable that it may well be 'the other'.
Quote examples
Robert Rauschenberg
American Artist
I'm not so facile that I can accomplish or find out what I want to know or explore enough of the possibilities and a way of making a painting, say, in just one painting or two paintings.
Quote examples
Umberto Eco
Italian Novelist
All the religious wars that have caused blood to be shed for centuries arise from passionate feelings and facile counter-positions, such as Us and Them, good and bad, white and black.
Quote examples
Peter York
British Journalist
It's just as well that I write in the same facile way wherever I am - no blocks or anguish, no contemplation, no elaborate revision, no need for love-tokens or nice views.
Quote examples
Jerry Garcia
American Singer
Death comes at you no matter what you do in this life, and to equate drugs with death is a facile comparison.
Quote examples
Timothy Spall
English Actor
If one wants to measure oneself by the facile accruement of awards, then I've done very well.
Quote examples
Faith Baldwin
American Novelist
Sometimes there is a greater lack of communication in facile talking than in silence.
Quote examples
George Santayana
Spanish Philosopher
The hunger for facile wisdom is the root of all false philosophy.
Example 1 of 10
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