Standard Lemma guide

simplify

verb · 3 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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈsɪmplɪfaɪ/
  • /ˈsɪmpləfaɪ/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: S IH1 M P L AH0 F AY2 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To make simpler, either by reducing in complexity, reducing to component parts, or making easier to understand.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To become simpler.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

make simpler or easier or reduce in complexity or extent

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • We had to simplify the instructions
  • this move will simplify our lives

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: complicate

Broader terms: change, alter, modify

Narrower terms: reduce, oversimplify

History

Etymology

From the French simplifier, equivalent to simple + -ify.

Across languages

Translations

66 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Albanian: thjeshtëzoj — to make simpler
  • Asturian: simplificar — to make simpler
  • Azerbaijani: sadələşdirmək — to make simpler
  • Belarusian: спрашча́ць (spraščácʹ) — to make simpler
  • Belarusian: спрасці́ць (sprascícʹ) — to make simpler
  • Bulgarian: опростя́вам (oprostjávam) — to make simpler
  • Bulgarian: опростя́ (oprostjá) — to make simpler
  • Catalan: simplificar — to make simpler
  • Chinese Mandarin: 簡化 /简化 (jiǎnhuà) — to make simpler
  • Czech: zjednodušit — to make simpler
  • Danish: forenkle — to make simpler
  • Dutch: vereenvoudigen — to make simpler
  • Dutch: versimpelen — to make simpler
  • Finnish: yksinkertaistaa — to make simpler
  • French: simplifier — to make simpler
  • Galician: simplificar — to make simpler
  • German: vereinfachen — to make simpler
  • Greek: απλοποιώ (aplopoió) — to make simpler
  • Hungarian: egyszerűsít — to make simpler
  • Japanese: 単純化 — to make simpler
  • Latin: simplificor — to make simpler
  • Latin: simplificō — to make simpler
  • Latvian: vienkāršot — to make simpler
  • Malay: mempermudah — to make simpler
  • Māori: whakarūnā — to make simpler
  • Norwegian Bokmål: forenkle — to make simpler
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: forenkle — to make simpler
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: forenkla — to make simpler
  • Persian: سادیدن — to make simpler
  • Persian: ساده کردن — to make simpler
  • Polish: upraszczać — to make simpler
  • Polish: uprościć — to make simpler
  • Portuguese: simplificar — to make simpler
  • Romanian: simplifica — to make simpler
  • Russian: упроща́ть (uproščátʹ) — to make simpler
  • Russian: упрости́ть (uprostítʹ) — to make simpler
  • Spanish: simplificar — to make simpler
  • Swedish: förenkla — to make simpler
  • Swedish: simplifiera — to make simpler
  • Tagalog: payakin — to make simpler
  • Tatar: гадиләштерергә (ğädiläşterergä) — to make simpler
  • Turkish: sadeleştirmek — to make simpler
  • Ottoman Turkish: قولایلامق (kolaylamak) — to make simpler
  • Ukrainian: спро́щувати (spróščuvaty) — to make simpler
  • Ukrainian: спрости́ти (sprostýty) — to make simpler
  • Vietnamese: đơn giản hóa — to make simpler
  • Volapük: balugükön — to make simpler
  • Azerbaijani: sadələşmək — to become simpler
  • Bulgarian: опростя́вам се (oprostjávam se) — to become simpler
  • Finnish: yksinkertaistua — to become simpler
  • German: sich vereinfachen — to become simpler
  • German: einfacher werden — to become simpler
  • Hungarian: egyszerűsödik — to become simpler
  • Norwegian: forenkles — to become simpler
  • Persian: ساده شدن — to become simpler
  • Polish: upraszczać się — to become simpler
  • Polish: uprościć się — to become simpler
  • Portuguese: simplificar-se — to become simpler
  • Romanian: simplifica — to become simpler
  • Russian: упроща́ться (uproščátʹsja) — to become simpler
  • Russian: упрости́ться (uprostítʹsja) — to become simpler
  • Swedish: förenklas — to become simpler
  • Swedish: simplifieras — to become simpler
  • Tagalog: pumayak — to become simpler
  • Turkish: sadeleşmek — to become simpler
  • Ottoman Turkish: قولایلانمق (kolaylanmak) — to become simpler
Real reading context

simplify in complete knowledge articles