lightheaded

adjective

light·​head·​ed ˈlīt-ˌhe-dəd 

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.

Synonyms

• dizzy
• giddy
• woozy

Examples of lightheaded in a Sentence

I always get light-headed after riding roller coasters, even when I'm standing still again

we couldn't concentrate on our work because we were feeling so light-headed

Recent Examples on the Web

Drinking a glass of water before the appointment and steady fluids afterward can make a noticeable difference, especially for those who tend to feel lightheaded with needles. —Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for lightheaded

• bareheaded
• beheaded
• embedded
• hardheaded
• homesteaded
• imbedded
• impleaded
• redheaded
• spearheaded
• unleaded
• bedded
• breaded

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