lightly

adverb

light·​ly ˈlīt-lē How to pronounce lightly (audio)
Synonyms of lightlynext
: in a light manner: such as
a
: with little weight or force : gently
b
: with indifference or carelessness : unconcernedly
… the problem should not be passed over lightly …—Shelly Halpern
c
: with little difficulty : easily
d
: gaily, cheerfully
e
: in an agile manner : nimbly, swiftly
the cat leapt lightly onto the table
f
: in a small degree or amount
lightly salted food

Synonyms of lightly

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Examples of lightly in a Sentence

He talks lightly about the problems he's been having at work. She moved lightly across the room. These vegetables can be eaten either raw or lightly cooked. Our troops were armed too lightly to take on the heavily armed invaders. Considering the harm he did, he's gotten off lightly with only a warning. The judge let her off lightly with a short sentence.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The bottom line The decision to move $100,000 into a 9-month CD account shouldn't be made lightly, even with the account offering a high rate and a relatively short term that should be easy to see through to its maturity date. — Matt Richardson, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026 Descriptions of spending are based on emails or phone calls with the sheriffs' offices and have been lightly edited. — Aneri Pattani — Kff Health News, STAT, 27 Aug. 2026 The rice is stirred over medium heat for a few minutes, giving the grains time to become opaque or lightly golden and release a toasty, nutty aroma. — Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 26 Aug. 2026 This is a transcript of a conversation with Barker about the book, which has been lightly edited for length and clarity. — David Weigel, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lightly

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lightly was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing lightly

Rhymes for lightly

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Browse Nearby Words

light lock
lightly
light machine gun
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Cite this Entry

“Lightly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lightly. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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