tread lightly

American

[tred lahyt-lee] / ˈtrɛd ˈlaɪt li /

Also tread carefully

idiom

to act or speak with care and tactfulness in order to avoid words or behavior that could be offensive or upsetting to others.

There are certain issues we have to tread lightly on if we have any hope of helping these kids.

First recorded in 1990–95

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Just tread lightly if you’re feeding a crowd—spice tolerance can vary wildly.

From Salon • Apr. 18, 2025

Both Teigen and Chang tread lightly when talking about the restaurant industry.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 24, 2024

But those who knew Rashid personally say he was a man who tread lightly.

From BBC • Jan. 12, 2024

But the risk is rising and we should tread lightly, quickly.

From Seattle Times • May 12, 2023

“Just tread lightly, Parky. Lelia will do the right thing. This is the time to let her think.”

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023