lightening

American  

[lahyt-n-ing] / ˈlaɪt n ɪŋ /

noun

Medicine/Medical.

1. the descent of the uterus into the pelvic cavity, occurring toward the end of pregnancy, changing the contour of the abdomen and facilitating breathing by lessening pressure under the diaphragm.

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lightening British  

/ ˈlaɪtənɪŋ /

noun

1. obstetrics the sensation, experienced by many women late in pregnancy when the head of the fetus enters the pelvis, of a reduction in pressure on the diaphragm, making it easier to breathe

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Etymology

Origin of lightening

First recorded in 1520–30; lighten ² + -ing ¹

Compare meaning

How does lightening compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• lightning vs. lightening

Example Sentences

The data, from the workforce analytics and productivity-tracking software company ActivTrak, found that AI is making workloads more intense, not lightening them.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

“If you think you’ve weathered the storm, we’re probably not through it all. If you can’t handle it, consider lightening up your positions,” he added.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 5, 2026

Gupta, Smyth and Armlovich have all publicly opposed a rent freeze, unless some other action is taken to ease landlord expenses like lightening property taxes or insurance costs.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 18, 2025

If you’re already retired, you should have been lightening up on stocks anyway.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2025

But then, after another hundred yards, I could definitely see a lightening in the trees ahead, a glow that was yellow instead of green.

From "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer

Related Words

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• assistance
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