Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
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

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

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.

“The lightness was forced, and the joy was a lie,” she tells him.

From Salon • Apr. 17, 2026

"The series is a lovely blend of lightness and comedy, with some genuinely moving and poignant moments".

From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026

Building on that idea in the 1920s, Schrödinger described hue, saturation and lightness using a mathematical measurement system within this curved framework.

From Science Daily • Feb. 23, 2026

“I wanted to give them sincerity and emotional weight as well as lightness and humor, and the actors shared that.”

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 4, 2026

He had carved each one as a wish for lightness, for freedom.

From "Out of Darkness" by Ashley Hope Pérez

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.