diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/cats/arrow/FunctionK.scala b/core/src/main/scala/cats/arrow/FunctionK.scala
index 019c27d232..413f72a501 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/cats/arrow/FunctionK.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/cats/arrow/FunctionK.scala
@@ -89,74 +89,14 @@ object FunctionK {
    *
    * Additionally, the type parameters on `f` must not be specified.
    */
-  def lift[F[_], G[_]](f: (F[α] ⇒ G[α]) forSome { type α }): FunctionK[F, G] =
-    macro FunctionKMacros.lift[F, G]
+  def lift[F[_]]: LiftPartiallyApplied[F] = new LiftPartiallyApplied
 
-}
-
-private[arrow] object FunctionKMacros {
-
-  def lift[F[_], G[_]](c: Context)(
-    f: c.Expr[(F[α] ⇒ G[α]) forSome { type α }]
-  )(
-    implicit evF: c.WeakTypeTag[F[_]],
-    evG: c.WeakTypeTag[G[_]]
-  ): c.Expr[FunctionK[F, G]] =
-    c.Expr[FunctionK[F, G]](new Lifter[c.type](c).lift[F, G](f.tree))
-  // ^^note: extra space after c.type to appease scalastyle
-
-  private[this] class Lifter[C <: Context](val c: C) {
-    import c.universe._
-
-    def lift[F[_], G[_]](tree: Tree)(
-      implicit evF: c.WeakTypeTag[F[_]],
-      evG: c.WeakTypeTag[G[_]]
-    ): Tree = unblock(tree) match {
-      case q"($param) => $trans[..$typeArgs](${arg: Ident})" if param.name == arg.name ⇒
-        typeArgs
-          .collect { case tt: TypeTree => tt }
-          .find(tt => Option(tt.original).isDefined)
-          .foreach { param =>
-            c.abort(param.pos, s"type parameter $param must not be supplied when lifting function $trans to FunctionK")
-          }
-
-        val F = punchHole(evF.tpe)
-        val G = punchHole(evG.tpe)
+  private[arrow] final class LiftPartiallyApplied[F[_]](val dummy: Boolean = true) extends AnyVal {
+    type T
 
-        q"""
-        new _root_.cats.arrow.FunctionK[$F, $G] {
-          def apply[A](fa: $F[A]): $G[A] = $trans(fa)
-        }
-       """
-      case other ⇒
-        c.abort(other.pos, s"Unexpected tree $other when lifting to FunctionK")
+    def apply[G[_]](f: F[T] => G[T]): FunctionK[F, G] = new FunctionK[F, G] {
+      def apply[A](fa: F[A]): G[A] = f(fa.asInstanceOf[F[T]]).asInstanceOf[G[A]]
     }
-
-    private[this] def unblock(tree: Tree): Tree = tree match {
-      case Block(Nil, expr) ⇒ expr
-      case _ ⇒ tree
-    }
-
-    private[this] def punchHole(tpe: Type): Tree = tpe match {
-      case PolyType(undet :: Nil, underlying: TypeRef) ⇒
-        val α = TypeName("α")
-        def rebind(typeRef: TypeRef): Tree =
-          if (typeRef.sym == undet) tq"$α"
-          else {
-            val args = typeRef.args.map {
-              case ref: TypeRef => rebind(ref)
-              case arg          => tq"$arg"
-            }
-            tq"${typeRef.sym}[..$args]"
-          }
-        val rebound = rebind(underlying)
-        tq"""({type λ[$α] = $rebound})#λ"""
-      case TypeRef(pre, sym, Nil) ⇒
-        tq"$sym"
-      case _ =>
-        c.abort(c.enclosingPosition, s"Unexpected type $tpe when lifting to FunctionK")
-    }
-
   }
 
 }
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/cats/syntax/eq.scala b/core/src/main/scala/cats/syntax/eq.scala
index fed77872a7..01a6eb87bc 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/cats/syntax/eq.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/cats/syntax/eq.scala
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 package cats
 package syntax
 
-import cats.macros.Ops
-
 trait EqSyntax {
 
   /** not final so it can be disabled in favor of scalactic equality in tests */
@@ -11,8 +9,11 @@ trait EqSyntax {
 }
 
 final class EqOps[A: Eq](lhs: A) {
-  def ===(rhs: A): Boolean = macro Ops.binop[A, Boolean]
-  def =!=(rhs: A): Boolean = macro Ops.binop[A, Boolean]
+
+  def ===(rhs: A): Boolean = implicitly[Eq[A]].eqv(lhs, rhs)
+  def =!=(rhs: A): Boolean = implicitly[Eq[A]].neqv(lhs, rhs)
+
   def eqv(rhs: A): Boolean = Eq[A].eqv(lhs, rhs)
   def neqv(rhs: A): Boolean = Eq[A].neqv(lhs, rhs)
+
 }
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/cats/syntax/group.scala b/core/src/main/scala/cats/syntax/group.scala
index 01d29cf3ae..27df00f6b6 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/cats/syntax/group.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/cats/syntax/group.scala
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 package cats
 package syntax
 
-import cats.macros.Ops
-
 trait GroupSyntax extends SemigroupSyntax {
   // TODO: use simulacrum instances eventually
   implicit final def catsSyntaxGroup[A: Group](a: A): GroupOps[A] =
@@ -10,7 +8,7 @@ trait GroupSyntax extends SemigroupSyntax {
 }
 
 final class GroupOps[A: Group](lhs: A) {
-  def |-|(rhs: A): A = macro Ops.binop[A, A]
-  def remove(rhs: A): A = macro Ops.binop[A, A]
-  def inverse(): A = macro Ops.unop[A]
+  def |-|(rhs: A): A = implicitly[Group[A]].remove(lhs, rhs)
+  def remove(rhs: A): A = implicitly[Group[A]].remove(lhs, rhs)
+  def inverse(): A = implicitly[Group[A]].inverse(lhs)
 }
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/cats/syntax/order.scala b/core/src/main/scala/cats/syntax/order.scala
index 36c33386a3..99d1c281ee 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/cats/syntax/order.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/cats/syntax/order.scala
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package cats
 package syntax
 
-import cats.macros.Ops
 import cats.kernel.Comparison
 
 trait OrderSyntax extends PartialOrderSyntax {
@@ -10,8 +9,8 @@ trait OrderSyntax extends PartialOrderSyntax {
 }
 
 final class OrderOps[A: Order](lhs: A) {
-  def compare(rhs: A): Int = macro Ops.binop[A, Int]
-  def min(rhs: A): A = macro Ops.binop[A, A]
-  def max(rhs: A): A = macro Ops.binop[A, A]
-  def comparison(rhs: A): Comparison = macro Ops.binop[A, Comparison]
+  def compare(rhs: A): Int = implicitly[Order[A]].compare(lhs, rhs)
+  def min(rhs: A): A = implicitly[Order[A]].min(lhs, rhs)
+  def max(rhs: A): A = implicitly[Order[A]].max(lhs, rhs)
+  def comparison(rhs: A): Comparison = implicitly[Order[A]].comparison(lhs, rhs)
 }
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/cats/syntax/partialOrder.scala b/core/src/main/scala/cats/syntax/partialOrder.scala
index 3e5d2e0489..7a4b38c04a 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/cats/syntax/partialOrder.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/cats/syntax/partialOrder.scala
@@ -1,21 +1,19 @@
 package cats
 package syntax
 
-import cats.macros.Ops
-
 trait PartialOrderSyntax extends EqSyntax {
   implicit final def catsSyntaxPartialOrder[A: PartialOrder](a: A): PartialOrderOps[A] =
     new PartialOrderOps[A](a)
 }
 
 final class PartialOrderOps[A](lhs: A)(implicit A: PartialOrder[A]) {
-  def >(rhs: A): Boolean = macro Ops.binop[A, Boolean]
-  def >=(rhs: A): Boolean = macro Ops.binop[A, Boolean]
-  def <(rhs: A): Boolean = macro Ops.binop[A, Boolean]
-  def <=(rhs: A): Boolean = macro Ops.binop[A, Boolean]
+  def >(rhs: A): Boolean = A.gt(lhs, rhs)
+  def >=(rhs: A): Boolean = A.gteqv(lhs, rhs)
+  def <(rhs: A): Boolean = A.lt(lhs, rhs)
+  def <=(rhs: A): Boolean = A.lteqv(lhs, rhs)
 
-  def partialCompare(rhs: A): Double = macro Ops.binop[A, Double]
-  def tryCompare(rhs: A): Option[Int] = macro Ops.binop[A, Option[Int]]
-  def pmin(rhs: A): Option[A] = macro Ops.binop[A, Option[A]]
-  def pmax(rhs: A): Option[A] = macro Ops.binop[A, Option[A]]
+  def partialCompare(rhs: A): Double = A.partialCompare(lhs, rhs)
+  def tryCompare(rhs: A): Option[Int] = A.tryCompare(lhs, rhs)
+  def pmin(rhs: A): Option[A] = A.pmin(lhs, rhs)
+  def pmax(rhs: A): Option[A] = A.pmax(lhs, rhs)
 }
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/cats/syntax/semigroup.scala b/core/src/main/scala/cats/syntax/semigroup.scala
index 54338b7ff0..008da0802c 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/cats/syntax/semigroup.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/cats/syntax/semigroup.scala
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 package cats
 package syntax
 
-import cats.macros.Ops
-
 trait SemigroupSyntax {
   // TODO: use simulacrum instances eventually
   implicit final def catsSyntaxSemigroup[A: Semigroup](a: A): SemigroupOps[A] =
@@ -10,7 +8,7 @@ trait SemigroupSyntax {
 }
 
 final class SemigroupOps[A: Semigroup](lhs: A) {
-  def |+|(rhs: A): A = macro Ops.binop[A, A]
-  def combine(rhs: A): A = macro Ops.binop[A, A]
-  def combineN(rhs: Int): A = macro Ops.binop[A, A]
+  def |+|(rhs: A): A = implicitly[Semigroup[A]].combine(lhs, rhs)
+  def combine(rhs: A): A = implicitly[Semigroup[A]].combine(lhs, rhs)
+  def combineN(rhs: Int): A = implicitly[Semigroup[A]].combineN(lhs, rhs)
 }