The phrase "hands down" means easily or unquestionably. It's used to emphasize the certainty of something.
Understanding "Hands Down"
"Hands down" is an idiom, meaning its meaning isn't literal. It doesn't refer to actually lowering one's hands. Instead, it signifies a clear victory or obvious superiority.
Examples in Sentences:
- She is, hands down, the best singer in the group. This emphasizes that her singing ability surpasses everyone else's without any doubt.
- This restaurant has hands down the best pizza in town. This sentence clearly states this restaurant's pizza is superior to all others.
- His performance was hands down the highlight of the show. This highlights the performance as the most significant and impressive part of the show.
- Hands down, the easiest way to solve this problem is by using this method. This suggests the proposed method is clearly and simply the best solution.
- The blue team, hands down, won the championship. This emphasizes the team's clear victory in the competition.
Placement in a Sentence
"Hands down" usually appears at the beginning or near the beginning of a sentence to emphasize the point being made. It can also be placed before the subject, as in "Hands down, the best..."
Synonyms
While there isn't a perfect synonym, phrases like undoubtedly, certainly, without a doubt, easily, and clearly can sometimes convey a similar meaning depending on the context.