least resistance
4
4.2
- noun
- Informal
:
mínima resistencia
- When faced with a tough decision, he often chooses the path of least resistance to avoid conflict.
- path of least resistance
It's just the path of least resistance for each person.
- It's just the path of least resistance for each person.
- Your mind will always choose the path of least resistance.
- And sometimes the path of least resistance is a great path and it works and everything's going well.
- And if you follow the path of least resistance, you'll find that you're optimizing for short periods of time.
- And I think it's critical that people realize that growth is always going to come with some discomfort, and that's where the path of least resistance comes in.
- I think it's always the case, or most often the case that there are that the path of least resistance is to embrace and act in accordance with societal convention.
- Like if it, you know, back to taking the path of, you know, least resistance of the hard Rd.
- Because a lot of the time the that's got the least resistance and surround yourself with courageous people, surround yourself with with brave people.
- Well, it's hard and our default position is to take the path of least resistance about what is easy, you know.
- So rather the path of least resistance, unfortunately, can be social isolation and and more screen time.
Examples
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Well, sometimes it"s easier to take the path of least resistance.
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In effect, Bush sat out the election, taking the path of least resistance.
Academic text (1991) -
It's just the path of least resistance for each person.
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How much I like the path of least resistance.
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This is definitely the point of least resistance.
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Going up is probably the path of least resistance.
Blog text (17) -
Most people take the path of least resistance and go with the herd.
Blog text (21) -
And sometimes the path of least resistance is a great path and it works and everything's going well.
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Just because it's the path of least resistance doesn't mean it's the wrong path.
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"It's the path of least resistance," Joe said to Sarah, panting.
Fiction book (1993)
Synonyms
7
3.9
The easiest choice that avoids difficulty or conflict
1
3.4
The smallest amount of work needed to do something
An easy choice that avoids trouble or argument
Antonyms
How Easy
Surface Forms
Morphology
The sense 'the easiest or least effortful way' follows directly from combining 'least' (smallest degree) with 'resistance' (opposition/obstacle): together they denote the smallest amount of opposition, i.e. the easiest option. This compositional metaphor (resistance = obstacle) is common cross-linguistically and appears in the frequent collocation 'path of least resistance', so a B1 learner who knows the constituents should be able to infer the meaning.
Etymology
Least resistance comes from a simple image: water or electricity finding the path with the smallest resistance, the easiest route around obstacles. So, to take the least resistance means to choose 'the easiest or least effortful way', often to avoid trouble.