lightheaded

adjective

light·​head·​ed ˈlīt-ˌhe-dəd How to pronounce lightheaded (audio)
variants or light-headed
1
: experiencing a feeling that one might faint often along with a sensation of dizziness
Unaccustomed to the heat … and the farmer's failure to provide drinking water, I got lightheaded.George Dardess
I am light-headed from the altitude …Tony Ortega
2
: lacking in maturity or seriousness : frivolous
The theories are light-headed enough, but they at least indicate some connection with twentieth-century experience.Louis Menand
lightheadedly adverb
or light-headedly
… when the moral of the story is stated one last time, the tone veers jarringly from solemn to lightheadedly saccharine. Stephen Holden
lightheadedness noun
or light-headedness
He experienced mild light-headedness when the palpitations first started … Fred Morady et al.

Examples of lightheaded in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web After Wednesday’s episode, a spokesman said that Mr. McConnell had felt lightheaded during the news conference and as a safety measure planned to consult with a physician before his next event. Annie Karni, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2023 Wen: The classic symptoms of heart attack are chest pain, pain in the jaw and neck extending to left arm, shortness of breath, feeling lightheaded and nausea. Katia Hetter, CNN, 7 Feb. 2024 Maybe the thin mountain air made Blinken feel lightheaded. Matthew Continetti, National Review, 19 Jan. 2024 By the time the song begins to fade in a loop of bell chimes and a softening drum beat, you’re left with that dizzying feeling of stepping off a spinning carnival ride, lightheaded but eager to go back for another round. Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 25 Oct. 2023 The 64-year-old Francona, who missed significant time in the 2020 and 2021 seasons because of poor health, became lightheaded before Tuesday’s game against the Royals. BostonGlobe.com, 30 June 2023 And the same could be said of the genre’s more lighthearted — and lightheaded — cousin, the mockumentary. James Sullivan, BostonGlobe.com, 20 July 2023 Both sought medical treatment after feeling lightheaded and vomiting. USA Today, 30 Mar. 2023 She has also been diagnosed with dysautonomia, which Garrard described as an issue that affects communication between her brain and heart that has left her dangerously lightheaded and led to multiple falls, including down stairs. Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lightheaded.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lightheaded was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near lightheaded

Cite this Entry

“Lightheaded.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lightheaded. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

light-headed

adjective
light-head·​ed
-ˈhed-əd
1
: feeling confused or dizzy
2
: not showing maturity or seriousness : frivolous
light-headedness noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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