light 1 of 5

1
2
3
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

light

2 of 5

adjective (1)

1
2
3
4
5
6

light

3 of 5

adjective (2)

light

4 of 5

verb (1)

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
Symphony of Flowers is a multimedia project that would occupy 6 acres of the park for six months of the year, installing more than 100,000 luminous flowers and 500,000 LED lights, along with dozens of speakers to play classical music. Claire Wang, Oc Register, 10 Sep. 2025 Ishiba may also place more importance on the formal message in light of rising right-wing populism and xenophobia in Japan. Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
The sun that hits the electric blinds hardly penetrates the room, the light dances on the walls, predictable yet never the same. Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 11 Sep. 2025 The base is light and creamy combining the other components nicely. Jasmine Smith, Southern Living, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
Although his shoes contained 10 ounces of highly explosive material, his attempt to light the fuse failed because of foot perspiration. Michael Goldstein, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025 Choose a path or route that is established and well-lit and safe if walking later in the afternoon. T'keyah Bazin, Verywell Health, 11 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for light
Recent Examples of Synonyms for light
Noun
  • Inside Lenox, palm fronds throw shimmering shadows and rattan lampshades cast a lazy glow.
    The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 12 Sep. 2025
  • The center beam shows color and detail clearly, while the outer glow only catches movement.
    Big Think, Big Think, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Emmet Apolinario, co-founder and president of Ohio Business Advisors, has sold everything from a licensed apparel shop for college sports to a disc golf retailer to a store that just sells lamp shades.
    Brandon Kochkodin, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Colorful murals adorn the interior, with communal tables and high ceilings, and the outdoors has beer-keg tables and heat lamps and lots of room for patrons — and their dogs — to roam.
    John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 13 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • At the end of their week, campers get a chance to perform their band’s songs live with the stars.
    Jim Clash, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
  • In general, teams that acquire a star player do better in the short term than the team getting multiple role players and draft picks in exchange for one top-level asset.
    Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 13 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The statement said that between sunrise and sunset, the no-fly zone would apply except for manned aircraft which had filed a flight plan and had a transponder switched on.
    Brendan Cole John Feng, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
  • This is the final notable planet parade until October 2028, when five planets will be visible together, once again before sunrise.
    Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The overwhelming success of the book and the resulting media glare opened a divide between them.
    Anderson Tepper, The Atlantic, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Mercury was part of it during August, but has since sunk back into the glare of the sun.
    Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Customers can wrap the truck’s exterior paneling in a color or print of their choosing, as well as customize lighting and tires, and even convert the two-passenger flat bed truck into a 5-person SUV.
    Jessica Mathews, Fortune, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Candleholders and a modern candelabra lamp that reinterpret the Swedish tradition of lighting windows during the darker months.
    Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • His work is recognized for rejecting straight lines in favor of rounded, continuous forms and for being approachable yet full of personality.
    Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Indeed, the personalities of Chesley’s siblings — her surviving twin sister Chatham, and twin boys Chance and Cheston, who all turned three on July 28 — have flourished.
    Jeff Truesdell, People.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The two countries last month agreed to extend the trade truce by another 90 days, to mid-November.
    Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The Tesla had been at the impound lot for two days after being found abandoned on a Hollywood street, investigators said.
    Alex Stone, ABC News, 10 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Light.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/light. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on light

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!