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simplify

B1
verb

Pronunciation

UK

  • /sˈɪmplɪfˌaɪ/

US

  • /ˈsɪmpləˌfaɪ/

Description

To simplify something means to make it less complicated, like taking apart a complex machine and explaining how each piece works in plain language. You might simplify a recipe by using fewer ingredients, or simplify your life by getting rid of things you do not need. It's about removing extra parts so the main idea is easier to see.

Think of a tangled knot: simplifying it means carefully untangling the strands until the shape is clear. In math, a person simplifies an equation to get its most basic form, and a writer might simplify their sentences to make them clearer for readers. Sometimes, though, people oversimplify things by making them too easy and leaving out important details.

Examples

  1. 1

    Online banking

    The new software is designed to simplify online banking.

  2. 2

    Student instructions

    Can you simplify the instructions for new students?

  3. 3

    Booking process

    We simplified the booking process by cutting it from five steps to two.

  4. 4

    Classroom teaching

    The teacher used a diagram to simplify a difficult idea.

  5. 5

    Practical planning

    To simplify things, let's just meet at the station.

    • Phrase

      to simplify things

      to make a situation easier to deal with

  6. 6

    Public forms

    The form has been simplified so people can complete it on their phones.

  7. 7

    Basic summary

    People often simplify the issue down to one simple question.

    • Pattern

      simplify something down to

      reduce it to a very basic form

  8. 8

    Oversimplification

    The article simplifies a complex problem and leaves out some important details.

Forms and spellings

4 forms open this card.

Main spelling

  • simplifyverb

Forms

  • simplifiedpast tenseverb
  • simplifying-ing formverb
  • simplifiesverb