as in laughingly
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Recent Examples of lightheartedly
The idea of replacing caddies with animals, lightheartedly suggested by moderator Eben Novy-Williams?
—
Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 4 Nov. 2025
Paltzik did not confirm the authenticity of the message but still suggested they were made lightheartedly.
—Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 21 Oct. 2025
Shopkeepers lightheartedly gossip in rich drawling accents, and pickup trucks make up the majority of the vehicles idling at one of the few stoplights in town.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 13 Oct. 2025
Of course, Swift’s recent engagement to Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce was a hot topic, offering a look at what seems to be their playful relationship with one another with Swift lightheartedly poking fun at her now fiancé.
—Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 4 Nov. 2025
Paltzik did not confirm the authenticity of the message but still suggested they were made lightheartedly.
—Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 21 Oct. 2025
Shopkeepers lightheartedly gossip in rich drawling accents, and pickup trucks make up the majority of the vehicles idling at one of the few stoplights in town.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 13 Oct. 2025
Of course, Swift’s recent engagement to Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce was a hot topic, offering a look at what seems to be their playful relationship with one another with Swift lightheartedly poking fun at her now fiancé.
—Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lightheartedly
Adverb
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Kipnis describes her own mother laughingly recalling a college professor chasing her around a desk and trying to kiss her.—
S. C. Cornell,
New Yorker,
5 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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The push for super intelligence sits rather blithely next to the beliefs of those tech masters of the universe trying to max out their looks and lifestyle for eternal life.—
David Bloom,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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However, rather than blithely dismiss the consequences of legalization with eye-rolling contempt for the puritans, supporters should confront the adverse societal effects of cannabis — the pervasive urban stench, the traffic deaths and the pernicious effects on youth.—
Cory Franklin,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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In December, over a two-hour lunch at The Occidental, a Washington restaurant nestled between the White House and FBI headquarters, Wilkins spoke breezily about her life as the girlfriend of the FBI director.—
Aidan McLaughlin,
Vanity Fair,
22 Jan. 2026
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Everything bops breezily along, stopping occasionally to have Dek growl maxims about strength through domination, and observe a decapitation or two.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
4 Nov. 2025
Adverb
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Cultures, Beliefs, Heritage Travel Photography Two Warkari men joyfully perform a traditional dance, or mock stick-play, in rural Bajirav Vihir, Maharashtra, India.—
Cecilia Rodriguez,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
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Consider Virginia McLaurin, who joyfully danced with the Obamas at age 106 and later supported youth mentoring, or Edith Renfrow Smith, now 110, whose advocacy for education continues to inspire.—
Norman B. Gildin,
Sun Sentinel,
6 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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Abu Daqqa shows videos set to music of him riding his sleek, silver and black machine, circling fast and joyously in the waves, testing its speed and agility.—
NPR,
NPR,
24 Nov. 2025
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They are felt as they are composed, painfully, joyously, cellularly—and they are designed for other biological beings to experience, to connect with, to be animated, provoked and moved by.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Nov. 2025
Adverb
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Such is the magic of Chavarria’s power of persuasion—a singer the scale of J Balvin or a Marvel actor like Ramirez will gladly answer his phone call.—
José Criales-Unzueta,
Vanity Fair,
23 Jan. 2026
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At some point, every entrepreneur and company leader must move from imagining the future to building products and services customers will gladly pay for.—
Esade Business & Law School,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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For his part, and most fittingly, Valentino creative director Michele will be planting the exuberantly luxe Valentino standard yet again in Paris, January 26-29, at Valentino’s beloved Haute Couture fashion week.—
Guy Martin,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
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No romance is in the offing between the two — Dan is straight and Tamma is exuberantly profane about being gay — so their bond is built almost entirely around climbing.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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The girls are giddily planning the wedding and bachelorette party as if several core issues are not still unresolved.—
Jessica M. Goldstein,
Vulture,
19 Dec. 2025
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Just a few weeks earlier, Miguel Angel Garcia Medina, 31, had been cavorting with his four children at their Arlington, Texas, home, meeting his 8-year-old daughter for lunch at school and giddily planning the arrival of their fifth child.—
Rick Jervis,
USA Today,
22 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lightheartedly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lightheartedly. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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