lighthearted

adjective

light·​heart·​ed ˈlīt-ˌhär-təd 

1

: free from care, anxiety, or seriousness : happy-go-lucky

a lighthearted mood

2

: cheerfully optimistic and hopeful : easygoing

… they can be lighthearted in the midst of misery …

—H. J. Forman

lightheartedly adverb

lightheartedness noun

Synonyms of lighthearted

• nonchalant
• carefree
• casual
• relaxed
• cavalier

Examples of lighthearted in a Sentence

his lighthearted attitude in the face of danger was the source of some concern

Recent Examples on the Web

Fazio, who remains unknown to a significant portion of the electorate, is running several lighthearted ads with a dual purpose of raising his profile and criticizing the governor. — Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 25 Sep. 2026

The revelation prompted lighthearted questioning about whether the two friends could be half-brothers — and is now the premise for a comedy series. — Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026

The lighthearted mood carried into more serious moments of the discussion. — Simon Perry, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2026

With Taylor and Conners preparing to face a team of 12 Americans, OutKick asked them about the name change in a series of lighthearted questions. — Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for lighthearted

• departed
• halfhearted
• imparted
• kindhearted
• restarted
• uncharted
• warmhearted
• wholehearted
• brokenhearted
• carted
• charted
• darted

Kids Definition

lighthearted

adjective

light·​heart·​ed -ˈhärt-əd 

: free from worry

lightheartedly adverb

lightheartedness noun