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

He is considering instituting a lighthearted corporate equivalent of a “swear jar,” where employees pay a small penalty whenever they pull out their phones or laptops.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

In fact, apple bobbing originally began as a lighthearted game to predict one’s luck with their romantic prospects.

Read more on Salon

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.

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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.

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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

Related Words

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