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

This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for length and clarity. —Lisa Boone, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2026

While the decision to undergo corporate restructuring should not be made lightly and successful outcomes aren't guaranteed, 363 sales within Chapter 11 bankruptcy can provide a mechanism to shed underperforming assets and address balance sheet challenges. —Jonathan Carson, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026

Former Major League Baseball star Jim Edmonds isn't one to take patriotism lightly. —Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2026

Pascale accompanies her with deceptively simple down-bows and up-bows, bearing the technical difficulty lightly, as though that’s just the shape and movements her hands happen to take. —Emma Madden, Pitchfork, 11 June 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