Cakewalk (Noun)
Meaning 1
An easy accomplishment; "winning the tournament was a cakewalk for him"; "invading Iraq won't be a cakewalk".
Classification
Nouns denoting acts or actions.
Usages
Examples
- The math test was a cakewalk for her since she had studied diligently for weeks.
- After months of intense training, winning the marathon was a cakewalk for the seasoned athlete.
- Completing the obstacle course was a cakewalk for the group of experienced hikers.
- Passing the entrance exam was a cakewalk for the students who had attended the prep course.
- For the team of experienced developers, launching the new software was a cakewalk.
Hypernyms
Meaning 2
A strutting dance based on a march; was performed in minstrel shows; originated as a competition among Black dancers to win a cake.
Classification
Nouns denoting acts or actions.
Examples
- The troupe of performers included a talented dancer known for her lively cakewalk routines in minstrel shows of the late 19th century.
- Historians believe that the cakewalk dance style emerged in the post-Civil War era as a way for enslaved and newly freed Black people to satirize and mock their enslavers.
- Performers competing in the cakewalk competition vied for the prize, which was often an actual cake awarded to the best dancer.
- At the peak of its popularity, the cakewalk was performed in both the United States and Europe by Black minstrel troupes, and the energetic and exaggerated movements were considered to be great entertainment.
- Over time, the origins of the cakewalk have become a source of controversy due to the connection between this popular dance and its historical context as a caricatured performance for White audiences.