Phrase guide

like a duck takes to water

prep_phrase · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

prep_phrase

Meaning 1

Very naturally; without effort.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Qualifier: simile

Examples

  • Near-synonyms: smoothly, gracefully
  • She started skating and learned quickly, like a duck takes to water.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: like a knife through butter, easily, effortlessly, smoothly, gracefully

Antonyms: like a fish out of water

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

16 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: като риба във вода (kato riba vǎv voda) — Very naturally
  • Catalan: com peix a l'aigua — Very naturally
  • Dutch: als een vis in het water — Very naturally
  • Finnish: kuin kala vedessä — Very naturally
  • French: comme un poisson dans l'eau — Very naturally
  • German: wie ein Fisch im Wasser — Very naturally
  • Hungarian: könnyedén — Very naturally
  • Hungarian: gyorsan — Very naturally
  • Hungarian: természetesen — Very naturally
  • Japanese: 水を得た魚 (mizu o eta uo) — Very naturally
  • Latvian: kā zivs ūdenī — Very naturally
  • Polish: jak ryba w wodzie — Very naturally
  • Russian: как ры́ба в воде́ (kak rýba v vodé) — Very naturally
  • Slovene: kot riba v vodi — Very naturally
  • Spanish: como pez en el agua — Very naturally
  • Yiddish: ווי אַ פֿיש אין וואַסער (vi a fish in vaser) — Very naturally