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Synonyms

lightness

1 American  
[lahyt-nis] / ˈlaɪt nɪs /

noun

  1. the state or quality of being light in weight.

    the amazing lightness of the new metal.

  2. the quality of being agile, nimble, or graceful.

    Synonyms:
    sprightliness, nimbleness, grace, agility

  3. lack of pressure or burdensomeness.

  4. lack of seriousness; levity in actions, thoughts, or speech.

    That kind of lightness seemed out of place.

  5. gaiety of manner, speech, style, etc.; cheerfulness.

    His lightness was just what the party needed.
lightness 2 American  
[lahyt-nis] / ˈlaɪt nɪs /

noun

  1. the state or quality of being light or illuminated.

  2. thin or pale coloration.

  3. the relative degree to which an object reflects light, especially light of complementary or nearly complementary colors.

lightness British  
/ ˈlaɪtnɪs /

noun

  1. the attribute of an object or colour that enables an observer to judge the extent to which the object or colour reflects or transmits incident light See also colour

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of lightness1

1175–1225; Middle English. See light 2, -ness

Origin of lightness2

before 1050; Middle English; Old English līhtness. See light 1, -ness

Vocabulary lists containing lightness

Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -ness

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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.

Lightness and sorrow combine in a moment of exquisite fragility.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 4, 2025

The author Milan Kundera, best known for his novel “The Unbearable Lightness of Being,” which was adapted into a film, died on Tuesday at 94.

From New York Times • Jul. 13, 2023

Award-winning Czech author Milan Kundera, whose legacy includes novels “The Unbearable Lightness of Being” and “The Festival of Insignificance,” has died.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 12, 2023

In his wide-ranging BBC interview, the novelist also paid tribute to Milan Kundera, author of The Unbearable Lightness of Being, who has died aged 94 in Paris following a long illness.

From BBC • Jul. 12, 2023

Lightness of spirits; gayety; levity; as, the airiness of young persons.

From Webster's Unabridged Dictionary by Webster, Noah

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.