cakewalk

[ keyk-wawk ]

noun

1. (formerly) a promenade or march, of Black American origin, in which the couples with the most intricate or eccentric steps received cakes as prizes.
2. a dance with a strutting step based on this promenade.
3. music for this dance.
4. Informal. something easy, sure, or certain.

verb (used without object)

1. to walk or dance in or as if in a cakewalk.

cakewalk

/ ˈkeɪkˌwɔːk /

noun

1. a dance based on a march with intricate steps, originally performed by African-Americans with the prize of a cake for the best performers
2. a piece of music composed for this dance
3. informal.
   an easily accomplished task

verb

1. intr to perform the cakewalk

Derived Forms

• ˈcakeˌwalker, noun

Other Words From

• cakewalker noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of cakewalk¹

First recorded in 1860–65; cake + walk

Example Sentences

The election is still one of the closest in modern American history; however, it is not the cakewalk it likely appeared to be when the summer kicked off.

From Salon

“He ended up winning,” Kobe said, “but it was a battle to the end. It wasn’t no cakewalk for him.”

From Los Angeles Times

City's charge to a third consecutive Premier League title was not entirely a cakewalk, mainly owing to the challenge from Arsenal, who spent 248 days at the top of the table - the longest an English top-flight team has been at the summit without winning the competition.

From BBC

With that sentence over my head, I’m not gonna say that it was a cakewalk, because it wasn’t.

From Slate

Compared to that, Stadium 1 at Indian Wells was a cakewalk.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• cinch