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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The comedians Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang breezily observed on a podcast last month that donating to Crockett is a waste of money.—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
5 Feb. 2026
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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
Adverb
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Her writing process unfolded slowly but joyfully.—
Bryan West,
USA Today,
5 Feb. 2026
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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
Adverb
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Continuously, some view it more joyously while others see it as a sad event.—
Marina Johnson,
IndyStar,
20 Feb. 2026
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Many people dress up in costumes and spend the evening having a joyously good time.—
Judith Levy,
Sun Sentinel,
17 Feb. 2026
Adverb
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For every Pollak that offered a rejoinder to the fascist appropriation of Greece and Rome, there were apologists and collaborators who gladly excavated the ancients for the purposes of modern regimes.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Feb. 2026
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Vonn welcomed the weight placed on her shoulders, gladly serving as an example that a woman’s athletic career need not dry up with age – or through injuries.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
8 Feb. 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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But Fallout giddily toys with the genre’s legacy, too, at times turning homages into punch lines.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
5 Feb. 2026
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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
Cite this Entry
“Lightheartedly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lightheartedly. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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