Words / C2

FAS-yl/ˈfæsaɪl/

Facile means too easy or glib to be a serious answer: a facile slogan, a facile comparison. Easy can be honest; facile sneers at the lack of depth. Facilitate (already in the dictionary) is help a process — related root, different use. Superficial is a close cousin. Do not call a clear explanation facile unless it dodged the hard part.

Meaning

Too easy or glib to be a real answer; lacking depth.

Examples

• ““Just work harder” is a facile response to burnout.”
• ““Just be resilient” is a facile reply to chronic understaffing.”
• “A facile contrast of “science versus art” collapsed on the first example.”

Good to know

Glib; too easy to count as thought. Mix-up: facilitate (make a process easier). Close: superficial. Not “clear and simple” if it is adequate.

Near in meaning

glib

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