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 OG home chef made French cuisine feel possible for Americans; Ryle’s generation is taking it one step further, making it feel lighthearted and casual.

Read more on Salon

In a lighthearted Facebook post, the department confirmed the pumpkin was returned to its owner, joking that “Cinderella’s carriage did, in fact, turn back into a pumpkin” sometime before midnight.

Read more on Salon

And while most AI clips I’ve seen have been lighthearted, there’s a sinister side to the technology, where deepfakes are used to impersonate real people and steal money.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Now, he’s become known for his big personality, his hands-on approach in molding Milwaukee’s brand of baseball … and more lighthearted habits, like the “pocket pancakes” he’ll gobble up in the middle of games.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Lady Beckham credits her bandmates for making her "more lighthearted, more fun" and says it was the first time she felt popular.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

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