noun
cakewalk
KAYK-wawk
Cakewalk (noun) means something that is very easy to do, requiring little effort. Example: “Winning that match was a cakewalk for the defending champion.”
noun
1
Something that is very easy to do, requiring little effort.
"Winning that match was a cakewalk for the defending champion."
"The exam was a cakewalk compared to last year's."
2
A strutting dance style, originally performed in contests where the best dancers won a cake.
"The old film showed dancers performing an elaborate cakewalk."
How to use cakewalk
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishNowadays almost always used to mean "an easy task," from its older sense as a lighthearted dance contest.
Common pairings
no cakewalk
not exactly a cakewalk
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Word forms
- Plural
- cakewalks
- Third person singular
- cakewalks
- Past tense
- cakewalked
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Winning that match was a _____ for the defending champion.
Etymology
Originally a strutting dance performed by African American communities in the 19th century, often in competitions where the winning couple was awarded a cake. Because top dancers made it look effortless, "cakewalk" came to mean anything easy.
Class of 1800
cakewalk joined the language around 1800.
See the full Class of 1800 →
Rhymes for cakewalk
See all rhymes for cakewalk →Frequently asked questions
What does “cakewalk” mean?
The word “cakewalk” means something that is very easy to do, requiring little effort. In plain terms, nowadays almost always used to mean "an easy task," from its older sense as a lighthearted dance contest.
How do you pronounce “cakewalk”?
“Cakewalk” is pronounced KAYK-wawk (/ˈkeɪk.wɔk/ in IPA).
How do you use “cakewalk” in a sentence?
Here is “cakewalk” used in a sentence: “Winning that match was a cakewalk for the defending champion.”
What part of speech is “cakewalk”?
“Cakewalk” is a noun.
Where does the word “cakewalk” come from?
The word “cakewalk” dates back to around 1800.
How many meanings does “cakewalk” have?
“Cakewalk” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: something that is very easy to do, requiring little effort.
