lighthearted
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of lighthearted
1375–1425; late Middle English ligt-herted; see light 2, heart, -ed 3
Explanation
Someone who tends to be happy and upbeat is lighthearted. When you are shopping for greeting cards, the lighthearted ones are the ones with the corny jokes, not the ones with pictures of dramatic sunsets. Words like joyful, blithe, and happy-go-lucky capture the sense of lighthearted. People can be lighthearted, and so can entertaining things, like lighthearted movies, your uncle's lighthearted teasing, or a lighthearted family sing-along. The "full of cheer" meaning of lighthearted dates from about 1400, from both senses of light: "bright" and "not heavy."
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.
We brought each other together in a very lighthearted way.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026
Some of the best support, Ghazalian said, has come from lighthearted comments, which have helped buoy their spirits.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2026
This perspective views patriotism more as shallow performance than anything else—a lighthearted distraction from more serious issues.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 3, 2026
The lighthearted interaction spread widely online, turning this moment into part of the city’s growing Knicks mythology.
From Salon ● Jun. 7, 2026
Lyra found it was quite easy to pretend to be lighthearted and charming, though she was conscious every second of Pantalaimon’s disgust, and of his hatred for the golden monkey.
From "The Golden Compass" by Philip Pullman
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.
