as in nonchalant
having or showing freedom from worries or trouble
his lighthearted attitude in the face of danger was the source of some concern
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in abandon
carefree freedom from constraint
he approaches his medical duties with a lightheartedness that some patients find disturbing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 lighthearted
Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 12 Mar. 2026
In the midst of intense drama are also several lighthearted moments, particularly with Lady Diana, played by Monika Myers, who quickly becomes one of Kenna’s allies.
—Anna Halkidis, Parents, 11 Mar. 2026
Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 4 Dec. 2025
On the plus side, the young acting talent and a welcome lightheartedness will keep the eye-rolling to a minimum.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lighthearted
Adjective
Kobrya and his wife, Jennifer Kobrya, went on a lighthearted vacation to Los Angeles and Disneyland in October.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 12 Mar. 2026
In the midst of intense drama are also several lighthearted moments, particularly with Lady Diana, played by Monika Myers, who quickly becomes one of Kenna’s allies.
—Anna Halkidis, Parents, 11 Mar. 2026
Noun
Hundreds of fans commented on social media, either expressing concern or responding with lightheartedness.
—Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 4 Dec. 2025
On the plus side, the young acting talent and a welcome lightheartedness will keep the eye-rolling to a minimum.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lighthearted
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lighthearted
Adjective
-
Scott inflicts Ohm’s nonchalant meanness with a piercingly perverse matter-of-factness that places the character as far away as possible from the realm of likeability.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Margot Robbie’s understanding of the assignment is evident, her fringe frame coupled with a low and loosely bound ponytail (another hallmark of the nonchalant set).—
Calin Van Paris,
InStyle,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But such is the startling sophistication of artificial intelligence, and the reckless abandon with which it is deployed to deceive online, cynicism seems a healthy side-dish to many viral moments.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Brandishing without abandon is a catastrophe.—
Brody Miller,
New York Times,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Set in Kyoto, the slasher horror follows three best friends who reunite and rekindle their lifelong friendship during what is intended to be a carefree girls trip.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Lindsay played a carefree youth who loved fútbol.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The slightly distressed finish of brown sneakers adds naturalness and ease that pairs harmoniously with the low profile of baggy jeans.—
Alex Sales,
Glamour,
8 Mar. 2026
-
In 1995, Taschen published his first book, which made a stir with portraits of soft, indirect illumination, emphasizing naturalness.—
Steve Appleford,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The podcast aesthetic—casual, long-winded, sometimes profane—directly opposes, perhaps not coincidentally, the sterility and bizarre right-this-minute quality of cable news, on which everything seems incomplete and therefore manipulative, and yet somehow endless.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
New Yorker,
24 Mar. 2026
-
The result is a smaller but more engaged core market — one that is spending more per household even as casual participation declines.—
Asaf Elia-Shalev,
Sun Sentinel,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
They were offered a path to a green card reserved for young immigrants who experienced abuse or abandonment in their countries of origin.—
Daniella Silva,
NBC news,
17 Mar. 2026
-
In response to the controversy, Grammarly committed to reimagining the feature to provide experts with genuine control over their representation, suggesting the company was willing to address the underlying concerns through product modification rather than wholesale abandonment of the concept.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Shatner deftly presents Kirk's delicate handling of interstellar trader Cyrano Jones's multiplying annoyances with a gentle humor and relaxed resignation as to the absurdity of the situation aboard the Enterprise.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
22 Mar. 2026
-
At tempos both exhilarating and more relaxed, the music was always going somewhere, with purpose and strategy.—
Scott Cantrell,
Dallas Morning News,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But also, your upbeat enthusiasm will appeal to everyone!—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Those arguments have blunted voter enthusiasm for ballot measures to increase corporate taxes before, according to Baldassare.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
17 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lighthearted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lighthearted. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
