lighthearted

adjective

light·​heart·​ed ˈlīt-ˌhär-təd How to pronounce lighthearted (audio)
Synonyms of lightheartednext
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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Much like Knives Out, the movie takes a much more lighthearted approach and sprinkles humor throughout. Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 15 Dec. 2025 Partnering with French players Félix Lebrun and Prithika Pavade against Chinese stars Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha, Macron engaged in a lighthearted rally that went viral on Chinese social media. Xianda Huang, The Conversation, 15 Dec. 2025 There are many aspects of Ella McCay that are meant to read as lighthearted and wacky and instead feel alien, though few reach those same entrancing levels of off. Alison Willmore, Vulture, 12 Dec. 2025 O’Connell’s tongue-in-cheek delivery signaled the incident was somewhat lighthearted, and most would agree that O’Connell made the right call in keeping his superstar receiver on the sideline. Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lighthearted

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lighthearted.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lighthearted. Accessed 19 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

lighthearted

adjective
light·​heart·​ed -ˈhärt-əd How to pronounce lighthearted (audio)
: free from worry
lightheartedly adverb
lightheartedness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on lighthearted

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