easier said than done

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easier said than done (comparative form only)

1. (idiomatic) Easy to propose, but difficult to accomplish.

   Antonyms: piece of cake; see also Thesaurus:easy thing

   • 1858, Thomas Carlyle, History of Friedrich II of Prussia, called Frederick the Great, volume 1, page 288:

     Which is a thing more easily said, than made good in the way of doing.

   • 2012 June 19, Phil McNulty, “England 1-0 Ukraine”, in BBC Sport‎:

     Scott Parker was desperately urging England's players to keep possession - but it was easier said than done amid waves of Ukraine attacks and it needed a penalty area block from the Tottenham midfield man to thwart Devic.