light 1 of 5

noun

ˈlīt How to pronounce light (audio)
Definition of lightnext
1
as in glow
the steady giving off of the form of radiation that makes vision possible he read poetry to her by the light of the moon

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2
as in lamp
something that provides illumination turn off the light when you go to bed

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3
as in star
a person who is widely known and usually much talked about a leading light in the acting profession

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4
as in sunrise
the first appearance of light in the morning or the time of its appearance with the coming of light we could see all the damage that the storm had caused

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light

2 of 5

adjective (1)

1
as in lightweight
having little weight It was no problem carrying the suitcase up the stairs since it was light.

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2
as in smooth
involving minimal difficulty or effort a little light work was all it took to straighten up the room

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3
as in sparse
less plentiful than what is normal, necessary, or desirable traffic on the highway seems to be very light today

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4
as in graceful
moving easily the dancer was exceptionally light on her feet

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5
as in gentle
not harsh or stern especially in nature or effect light punishment to fit a minor offense

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6
as in fluffy
resembling air in lightness the waves had an especially light foam at their crests because of the strong breeze

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light

3 of 5

adjective (2)

1
as in illuminated
filled with much light the light, airy room is exceptionally cheerful

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2
as in faded
lacking intensity of color we painted the walls a light blue

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3
as in pale
of light complexion her light skin tends to freckle easily in the sun

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light

4 of 5

verb (1)

1
as in to burn
to set (something) on fire we lit the kindling before adding the heavier logs

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2
as in to illumine
to supply with light the lights from the TV cameras will light this room as though it were high noon

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light

5 of 5

verb (2)

1
as in to perch
to come to rest after descending from the air the bird lit on the branch and began to sing

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2
as in to descend
to come down from something (as a vehicle) he hurriedly lighted from the bus and started walking up the street

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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective light contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of light are easy, effortless, facile, simple, and smooth. While all these words mean "not demanding effort or involving difficulty," light stresses freedom from what is burdensome.

a light teaching load

When is easy a more appropriate choice than light?

In some situations, the words easy and light are roughly equivalent. However, easy is applicable either to persons or things imposing tasks or to activity required by such tasks.

an easy college course

When is it sensible to use effortless instead of light?

The words effortless and light can be used in similar contexts, but effortless stresses the appearance of ease and usually implies the prior attainment of artistry or expertness.

moving with effortless grace

How do facile and easy relate to one another, in the sense of light?

Facile often adds to easy the connotation of undue haste or shallowness.

facile answers to complex questions

When could simple be used to replace light?

The synonyms simple and light are sometimes interchangeable, but simple stresses ease in understanding or dealing with because complication is absent.

a simple problem in arithmetic

Where would smooth be a reasonable alternative to light?

Although the words smooth and light have much in common, smooth stresses the absence or removal of all difficulties, hardships, or obstacles.

a smooth ride

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of light
Noun
Its flurry of Project Jupiter announcements on September 8 included the promise to set up a public dashboard for community members to view data related to the data center’s air, noise, heat, light, and water. — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2026 Fall in Europe brings with it brisk temperatures that make sightseeing an utter joy, thinner crowds that leave room for locals, and an opportunity to experience cities in their most authentic light. — Jessica Sulima, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Sep. 2026
Adjective
Each of the cubes, marking the hours, rotates at the top of the hour, with one cube in a lighter tone signifying the current time. — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 8 Sep. 2026 Two physical irises work in sequence to regulate the light path, one of which adjusts dynamically based on the scene brightness. — New Atlas, 8 Sep. 2026
Verb
In recent court hearings, Abdulkarim’s reason for allegedly lighting the goods on fire has played a central role. — Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026 Her representatives asked her fans to light a candle in her honor and for donations to be made to her charity, Gloria’s Foundation. — Elizabeth Chuck, NBC news, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for light
Recent Examples of Synonyms for light
  1. glow
  2. lamp
  3. star
  4. sunrise
  5. lightweight
  6. smooth
  7. sparse
  8. graceful
Noun
  • It’s perfectly designed for sipping cocktails under the warm glow of the hotel's signature red canvas awnings and people-watching as Paris’s most chic inhabitants walk by.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Gonzalez’s Instagram portfolio features a collection of similar skin-first looks, each with its own distinctive glow; the artist often favors radiant complexions over matte finishes.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of glow
Noun
  • There were a lot of old lamps, some of which had imaginative and peculiar designs, though many were also just plain ugly.
    — Lydia Davis, New Yorker, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The Conrad Orlando at Evermore also introduced wellness rooms in 2024, stocking them with Normatec leg-compression systems, fancy mattresses from Bryte, and Loftie lamps, which are designed to help regulate melatonin and support circadian rhythms.
    — Chadner Navarro, Travel + Leisure, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of lamp
Noun
  • FRBs are brief but intense blasts of radio waves currently thought to erupt from rapidly rotating dead stars with the universe's strongest magnetic fields, called magnetars.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The star wideout has responded with eight catches for 122 yards and a touchdown.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of star
Noun
  • Kentucky’s Flag Status website states that the flag is always lowered to half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Patriot Day.
    — Caroline Neal, Louisville Courier Journal, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The national day of observance calls for flags to be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset.
    — Allison Gibson, Sacbee.com, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of sunrise
Adjective
  • The British southpaw fighter faced the Californian in 2021 for the ‘interim’ WBC lightweight title in Texas, flooring him in the second round with a blistering left hand.
    — Chris McKenna, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Firefighters placed them each onto lightweight gurneys known as stokes baskets.
    — Peter Wilkinson, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of lightweight
Adjective
  • Instead of treating production as a series of separate steps, the model is intended to create a smoother flow of materials, modules and work through the factory.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Rashford’s smooth shimmy, going inside this time, bamboozled his opponent, who had to pull him down, earning a booking.
    — Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of smooth
Adjective
  • Substantially above-average precipitation in states like Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio was canceled out by historically sparse totals recorded in places like California, which had its driest summer since 2002 and its fifth-driest ever recorded.
    — Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 9 Sep. 2026
  • But Taylor told Ars that research remains sparse, with OpenAI’s reporting on ChatGPT users offering one of the few indicators of how widespread the problem may be.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of sparse
Adjective
  • As a young and impressionable onlooker, Dzeko looked huge (at 6ft 4in/193cm) yet so graceful on the ball.
    — Amitai Winehouse, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Bryan Singer’s ingenious thriller is both a graceful callback to ’50s potboilers and a savage modernization of them.
    — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of graceful

Phrases Containing light

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ligatures
light
light bulb
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Cite this Entry

“Light.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/light. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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