tread lightly
idiom
: to proceed carefully
If you're thinking about asking for a raise, I advise you to tread lightly.
Examples of tread lightly in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Preservation advocates, therefore, argue that any retrofit must tread lightly, honoring the building’s character and meaning.
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Srishti Gupta, Interesting Engineering, 23 Nov. 2025
Matters can reach a fever pitch on the 17th, so tread lightly and don't let conversations get too out of control.
—Lisa Stardust, Refinery29, 6 Nov. 2025
This is not the first time Canales has had to tread lightly while mulling a change involving a high-profile offensive player.
—Joseph Person, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2025
The objects on display tread lightly, rhythmically, metaphorically, across the two main floors of the downtown building.
—Ray Mark Rinaldi, Denver Post, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tread lightly
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Srishti Gupta, Interesting Engineering, 23 Nov. 2025
Matters can reach a fever pitch on the 17th, so tread lightly and don't let conversations get too out of control.
—Lisa Stardust, Refinery29, 6 Nov. 2025
This is not the first time Canales has had to tread lightly while mulling a change involving a high-profile offensive player.
—Joseph Person, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2025
The objects on display tread lightly, rhythmically, metaphorically, across the two main floors of the downtown building.
—Ray Mark Rinaldi, Denver Post, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tread lightly
Cite this Entry
“Tread lightly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tread%20lightly. Accessed 7 Dec. 2025.
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