lightly
Americanadverb
-
with little weight, force, intensity, etc.; gently.
to press lightly on a door bell.
-
to only a small amount or degree; slightly.
lightly fried eggs.
-
to leap lightly aside.
-
with a lack of concern; indifferently; slightly.
to think lightly of one's achievements.
-
cheerfully; without complaining.
to take bad news lightly.
-
without due consideration or reason (often used negatively).
an offer not to be refused lightly.
-
without trouble or effort; easily.
Lightly come, lightly go.
-
frivolously; flippantly.
to behave lightly.
-
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.
“This wasn’t an easy decision, and not one we take lightly, but in our hearts, we know this break will only make Bonnaroo better,” organizers of the Manchester, Tenn., festival wrote on Instagram.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
While some employees may lightly trim their stakes as more shares are unlocked, Mills thinks many insiders will likely hold out for bigger gains.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026
A magnitude-4.8 earthquake caused cracks in walls and sent debris falling in Granada on Tuesday, lightly injuring three people, officials said, days after a slightly stronger quake hit the southern Spanish city.
From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026
John McLenaghan said calling for resignations was not a decision his union had "lightly".
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
Some of the men remember seeing Phineas standing over the blast hole, leaning lightly on the tamping iron.
From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman
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.
