lightly
Americanadverb
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with little weight, force, intensity, etc.; gently.
to press lightly on a door bell.
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to only a small amount or degree; slightly.
lightly fried eggs.
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to leap lightly aside.
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with a lack of concern; indifferently; slightly.
to think lightly of one's achievements.
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cheerfully; without complaining.
to take bad news lightly.
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without due consideration or reason (often used negatively).
an offer not to be refused lightly.
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without trouble or effort; easily.
Lightly come, lightly go.
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frivolously; flippantly.
to behave lightly.
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airily; buoyantly.
flags floating lightly.
Etymology
Origin of lightly
First recorded before 900; Middle English lightli, Old English lēohtlīce; see light 2, -ly
Vocabulary lists containing lightly
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He had already collected two cans of corn "lightly covered with soil" from another location, telling investigators he had no idea what was inside.
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026
Nearly 800 firemen have been deployed to the major fire in Valpacos which has left at least five people lightly injured.
From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026
Here, lightly edited for space and clarity, are a selection of those comments.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
These responses have been lightly edited for clarity.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
I am wearing my moccasins, and so I walk lightly through the snow, quiet as Kainta taught me to be.
From "Blood on the River" by Elisa Carbone
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
