lightly

adverb

light·ly | \ ˈlīt-lē

Definition of lightly

: 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 & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about lightly

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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

Heat the oven to 350°F and lightly butter a 13- by 9-inch baking dish. — Ashley Rodriguez, Woman's Day, "Salted Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars," 10 Apr. 2019 Our beauty director’s must-haves: a do-it-all hydrating balm, cleansing wipes for your face or hands (or the seat), and a lightly scented hand sanitizer. — Nicole Saporita, Good Housekeeping, "14 Genius Packing Tips to Help You Travel Like a Pro," 9 Apr. 2019 But let’s be real: The logistics of this would be a bit complicated — to put it lightly. — Sara Delgado, Teen Vogue, "Fans Want BTS to Perform at Met Gala 2019," 3 Apr. 2019 Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the mixture on the top of each bun. — Country Living Staff, Country Living, "The Best Hot Cross Buns Recipe to Make This Easter," 7 Mar. 2019 Foods that have had a few genes knocked out via CRISPR are currently regulated more lightly than traditional GMOs. — Brad Plumer, Vox, "A simple guide to CRISPR, one of the biggest science stories of the decade," 23 July 2018 But the Times says the EPA's draft rule allows the agency to avoid protracted legal battles by regulating coal plants very lightly. — Megan Geuss, Ars Technica, "Trump tweet: EPA head Scott Pruitt is resigning," 5 July 2018 Transfer the ribs to a baking sheet, lightly brush them with some of the remaining mop and tightly cover them with foil. — Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, "Ribs 101: Pitmasters offer advice on cooking ribs," 1 July 2018 Those debates are largely driven by uncertainty about the complex impact of lightly regulated hailing services on safety, traffic, and established industries, more than by considerations of broadened mobility access. — David Z. Morris, Fortune, "Ride-Hailing Apps May Benefit Poor and Minority Communities The Most, Study Suggests," 30 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lightly.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.