easier said than done

adjective

Easy to propose, but difficult to accomplish.

Opposite
piece of cake
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Meanings

adjectiveeasier said than done (comparative form only)
  1. comparative onlyidiomaticEasy to propose, but difficult to accomplish.

    Which is a thing more easily said, than made good in the way of doing.

    1858, Thomas Carlyle, History of Friedrich II of Prussia, called Frederick the Great, volume 1, page 288
    1 more example

    Scott Parker was desperately urging England's players to keep possession - but it was easier said than done amid waves of Ukraine attacks and it needed a penalty area block from the Tottenham midfield man to thwart Devic.

    2012 June 19, Phil McNulty, “England 1-0 Ukraine”, in BBC Sport

    Antonyms: piece of cake

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveEasy to propose, but difficult to accomplish.

Opposite
piece of cake
Also see
it wasn't only only

Translations

Catalan del prometre al complir, hi ha molt de tros per penedir, una cosa és predicar i una altra és donar blat
  • del prometre al complir, hi ha molt de tros per penedireasy to propose, but difficult to accomplish
  • una cosa és predicar i una altra és donar blateasy to propose, but difficult to accomplish
  • és més fàcil dir-ho que fer-hoeasy to propose, but difficult to accomplish
Chinese Mandarin 談何容易 /谈何容易, 說得倒輕巧 /说得倒轻巧
  • 談何容易 /谈何容易 (tánhéróngyì)easy to propose, but difficult to accomplish
  • 說得倒輕巧 /说得倒轻巧 (shuō de dào qīng qiao)easy to propose, but difficult to accomplish
Danish lettere sagt end gjort
  • lettere sagt end gjorteasy to propose, but difficult to accomplish
Dutch makkelijker gezegd dan gedaan
  • makkelijker gezegd dan gedaaneasy to propose, but difficult to accomplish
Finnish helpommin sanottu kuin tehty
  • helpommin sanottu kuin tehtyeasy to propose, but difficult to accomplish
French plus facile à dire qu’à faire, vite dit
  • plus facile à dire qu’à faireeasy to propose, but difficult to accomplish
  • vite diteasy to propose, but difficult to accomplish
German leichter gesagt als getan
  • leichter gesagt als getaneasy to propose, but difficult to accomplish
Hungarian könnyebb mondani, mint megtenni, könnyű mondani
  • könnyebb mondani, mint megtennieasy to propose, but difficult to accomplish
  • könnyű mondanieasy to propose, but difficult to accomplish
Icelandic hægara sagt en gert, það er hægara sagt en gert
  • hægara sagt en gerteasy to propose, but difficult to accomplish
  • það er hægara sagt en gerteasy to propose, but difficult to accomplish
  • hægara ort en gerteasy to propose, but difficult to accomplish
  • það er hægara ort en gerteasy to propose, but difficult to accomplish
Italian più facile a dirsi che a farsi
  • più facile a dirsi che a farsieasy to propose, but difficult to accomplish
Japanese 言うは易く行うは難し, 言うは易し
  • 言うは易く行うは難し (iu wa yasuku okonau wa katashi)easy to propose, but difficult to accomplish
  • 言うは易し (iu wa yasushi)easy to propose, but difficult to accomplish
Latin facilius est dictū quam factū
  • facilius est dictū quam factūeasy to propose, but difficult to accomplish
Norwegian Bokmål lettere sagt enn gjort
  • lettere sagt enn gjorteasy to propose, but difficult to accomplish
Polish łatwo powiedzieć
  • łatwo powiedziećeasy to propose, but difficult to accomplish
Portuguese é mais fácil dizer do que fazer, é mais fácil falar do que fazer
  • é mais fácil dizer do que fazereasy to propose, but difficult to accomplish
  • é mais fácil falar do que fazereasy to propose, but difficult to accomplish
Russian про́ще сказа́ть, чем сде́лать
  • про́ще сказа́ть, чем сде́лать (próšče skazátʹ, čem sdélatʹ)easy to propose, but difficult to accomplish
Spanish es fácil decirlo, es más fácil decirlo que hacerlo
  • es fácil decirloeasy to propose, but difficult to accomplish
  • es más fácil decirlo que hacerloeasy to propose, but difficult to accomplish
  • del dicho al hecho hay mucho trechoeasy to propose, but difficult to accomplish
  • que se dice prontoeasy to propose, but difficult to accomplish
  • una cosa es predicar, y otra dar trigoeasy to propose, but difficult to accomplish
Swedish lättare sagt än gjort
  • lättare sagt än gjorteasy to propose, but difficult to accomplish
Tagalog madaling sabihin, mahirap gawin
  • madaling sabihin, mahirap gawineasy to propose, but difficult to accomplish
Cite this entry
APA

easier said than done. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/easier%20said%20than%20done

MLA

“easier said than done.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/easier%20said%20than%20done. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “easier said than done,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/easier%20said%20than%20done.

Source: easier said than done on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.