English Idiom – Cakewalk

Meaning – The idiom cakewalk is used to describe something that is very easy to do. It is often used to describe a task that requires little effort or skill.

The term cakewalk originated in the late 19th century in the United States. It was derived from a dance of African American slaves, in which the winner was awarded a cake. The dance was seen as a way for slaves to mock their masters, as the dance was often done in a more exaggerated and humorous way than the dances of the masters. Over time, the term cakewalk came to mean something that was easy to do. Read more – The Extraordinary Story Of Why A ‘Cakewalk’ Wasn’t Always Easy

Related Expressions:

Usage:

When could you use this idiom?

  • You are discussing a project at work that proved to be much easier to complete than you initially thought it would.
  • If you are describing an easy victory for your favourite football team.
  • You are describing a recent English test to a classmate!

Example:

  • “I thought the assignment would be a cakewalk, but it turned out to be much more difficult than I expected.”

In The News:

Discuss:

  • Is there an idiom like this in your country?

What is an idiom?

An idiom is a word or phrase that is not taken literally.  An idiom is an expression that cannot be understood from the meanings of its individual words, but has a separate meaning of its own.