adjective

facile

FASS-yle

Facile (adjective) means Too simple to be convincing; arrived at without proper thought and ignoring the real difficulties. Example: “It's a facile explanation that ignores fifty years of history.”

adjective

Too simple to be convincing; arrived at without proper thought and ignoring the real difficulties.

"It's a facile explanation that ignores fifty years of history."

"He offered the facile suggestion that they should simply work harder."

Achieved easily, sometimes suspiciously so, especially of a sporting win.

"A facile 4-0 victory over the bottom club."

Working with easy fluency, as of a writer, speaker or performer; often with a hint that fluency has replaced substance.

"He is a facile speaker who can fill an hour on any topic."

How to use facile

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEasy in a way that misses the real point.

When to use it

Formal and critical; common in reviews, opinion writing and academic argument.

Memory tip

British speakers usually say FASS-yle; Americans often say FASS-uhl.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

simplistic → fatuous → facility → docile →

Common pairings

facile argument facile comparison facile assumption facile victory

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Test yourself on “facile” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

It's a _____ explanation that ignores fifty years of history.

Etymology

Via French from Latin facilis 'easy to do', from facere 'to do, make'.

Origin: Latin

Synonyms

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simplistic superficial glib shallow pat easy effortless comfortable fluent ready slick

Antonyms

thoughtful rigorous considered profound hard-fought narrow

Related words

hit available easy ready considered difficult simple limited

Rhymes for facile

file mile tile pile wile vile rile Nile bile Chile smile while

See all rhymes for facile →

Frequently asked questions

Is facile a compliment or an insult?

In modern English it is almost always critical. Calling an argument facile says it is glib and under-thought, not that it is elegantly easy. Only the sporting sense — a facile win — is neutral.

What is the difference between facile and simplistic?

They are close, and both are negative. Simplistic means an explanation leaves out necessary complexity. Facile adds a note of glibness — that the speaker reached the answer too easily and perhaps too pleased with themselves for doing so.

What is the meaning of facile?

"facile" (adjective) means too simple to be convincing; arrived at without proper thought and ignoring the real difficulties.

What is another word for facile?

Other words for "facile" include simplistic, superficial, glib, shallow, pat, easy.

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hit available easy ready considered difficult simple limited