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tread lightly

American

[tred lahyt-lee] / ˈtrɛd ˈlaɪt li /

Also tread carefully

idiom

to act or speak with care and tactfulness in order to avoid words or behavior that could be offensive or upsetting to others.

There are certain issues we have to tread lightly on if we have any hope of helping these kids.

Etymology

Origin of tread lightly

First recorded in 1990–95

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.

See Examples For:

tread lightly

Martin Luther King Jr.’s two living children are urging people to tread lightly with a newly released trove of records related to their father’s assassination.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2025

Just tread lightly if you’re feeding a crowd—spice tolerance can vary wildly.

From Salon ● Apr. 18, 2025

But those who knew Rashid personally say he was a man who tread lightly.

From BBC ● Jan. 12, 2024

But the risk is rising and we should tread lightly, quickly.

From Seattle Times ● May 12, 2023

Only two days ago, she would have left it at that, respecting their unspoken agreement to tread lightly in each other’s pasts.

From "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023