lighthearted

[lahyt-hahr-tid]

adjective

1. carefree; cheerful; merry.

   a lighthearted laugh.

   Synonyms: jocund, jovial, merry, glad, happy, blithe, joyful, cheery
   Antonyms: gloomy, melancholy, cheerless

Other Word Forms

• lightheartedly adverb
• lightheartedness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of lighthearted¹

1375–1425; late Middle English ligt-herted; light ², heart, -ed ³

Example Sentences

“The deputies could barely believe their eyes,” the Sheriff’s Office wrote in a lighthearted social media post about the incident.

From Los Angeles Times

But Guibert admits that their home life was no lighthearted family sitcom.

From Los Angeles Times

He preferred a spontaneous, lighthearted group discussion to the typical documentary, with its one-on-one interviews and heavy production.

From Los Angeles Times

The movie, which takes place over the course of 24 hours, starts out as a lighthearted romance.

From Los Angeles Times

That lent a velveteen innocence to the jovial wreckage “The Osbournes” created and navigated almost constantly, although there were many times when what we saw clashed against the lighthearted sonic wallpaper.

From Salon

Related Words

• buoyant 
• jolly 
• jovial 
• joyous 
• laid-back 
• lively 
• playful 
• upbeat