lightly

adverb

light·​ly ˈlīt-lē 

: in a light manner: such as

a

: with little weight or force : gently

b

: with indifference or carelessness : unconcernedly

… the problem should not be passed over lightly …

—Shelly Halpern

c

: with little difficulty : easily

d

: gaily, cheerfully

e

: in an agile manner : nimbly, swiftly

the cat leapt lightly onto the table

f

: in a small degree or amount

lightly salted food

Synonyms of lightly

• easily
• smoothly
• effortlessly
• easy
• freely
• efficiently
• readily

Examples of lightly in a Sentence

He talks lightly about the problems he's been having at work.

She moved lightly across the room.

These vegetables can be eaten either raw or lightly cooked.

Our troops were armed too lightly to take on the heavily armed invaders.

Considering the harm he did, he's gotten off lightly with only a warning.

The judge let her off lightly with a short sentence.

Recent Examples on the Web

Eckerle recommends lightly resetting the pantry after every grocery haul. — Gabriela Ulloa, Architectural Digest, 4 Nov. 2026

Water lightly to help the mulch stay in place and integrate with the old mulch. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 4 Nov. 2026

Uncover and continue to bake until casserole is lightly browned on top and around the edges, 15–20 minutes longer. — Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Magazine, 4 Nov. 2026

This column is adapted from an episode of the Life Hax podcast and has been lightly edited for clarity. — Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 2 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing lightly

• take lightly
• tread lightly

Rhymes for lightly

• brightly
• knightly
• nightly
• rightly
• sightly
• slightly
• sprightly
• tightly
• whitely
• forthrightly
• fortnightly
• politely