lighter-than-air

adjective

Definition of lighter-than-airnext
as in weightless

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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 lighter-than-air But even at Thanksgiving, this lighter-than-air pie filling is welcome amid a sea of other, thicker custard pies. — Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 18 Feb. 2026 The city already has regulations including restrictions on single-use plastic bags for carryout, plastic straws and stirrers, and balloons filled with helium or other lighter-than-air gasses. — Luke Harold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Jan. 2026 Still, Leishman said interest in lighter-than-air ships has been cyclical, waxing and waning over time. — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 22 Nov. 2025 Once denoting a specific type of cake, the name Bundt now conjures images of uniform mounds of all flavors, from the traditional dense party cake to lighter-than-air angel cakes. — Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lighter-than-air
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lighter-than-air
  1. weightless
  2. lightweight
  3. vaporous
  4. buoyant
  5. unsubstantial
  6. rarefied
  7. diaphanous
  8. insubstantial
Adjective
  • It’s formulated to add weightless moisture and shine while taming flyaways and frizz.
    — Essence Wiley, InStyle, 3 Aug. 2026
  • John, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, has spent the past five years working on a class of models called weightless neural networks.
    — Jackie Snow, IEEE Spectrum, 30 July 2026
Definition of weightless
Adjective
  • The lightweight and comfortable design also helps improve the fit of loose hats.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Nordic Knots pairs lightweight Italian linen with made-to-measure sizing, tailoring each custom curtain panel to your exact length for a personalized finish.
    — Nina Derwin, Architectural Digest, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of lightweight
Adjective
  • Hz [Warp] Warp lodestars Seefeel are most recognizable for their vaporous blend of shoegaze, ambient, and experimental electronic music.
    — Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 1 May 2026
  • The sky above is filled with eagles, an American flag and vaporous images.
    — Will Weissert, Fortune, 13 Apr. 2026
Definition of vaporous
Adjective
  • Her lively cast, led by a buoyant Ella Rubin, bounce off each other in a remote, gorgeous, lakeside setting on which the show’s entire story pivots.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Sperm whales take their naps by first diving down a bit before the buoyant head turns toward the surface; by sinking tail-first to a depth of roughly 8 meters; or by slowly ascending to the surface after a deep dive (over 200 meters).
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of buoyant
Adjective
  • Roadmaps are frequently high-level and unsubstantial.
    — Peter Bendor-Samuel, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
  • This can alter the amount and types of ACE-inhibiting peptides created during fermentation2—and possibly account for kombucha's unsubstantial effect on blood pressure.
    — MD Published, Verywell Health, 27 Dec. 2025
Definition of unsubstantial
Adjective
  • One analysis projects the coming wave could mint more than 16,000 new millionaires and roughly 20 billionaires—a wealth-creation event already beginning to ripple through the world’s most rarefied property markets.
    — Natalie Hoberman, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • So a lot of attention and energy around entering the public sphere, not just living in the rarefied bubble of museums and galleries and that world.
    — Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 31 July 2026
Definition of rarefied
Adjective
  • The craftsmanship continues upstairs, where jamdani fabrics and wallpapers in the primary bedroom celebrate the ancient Bengal art of weaving fine diaphanous textiles, embodying the showroom’s dedication to materiality, artistry, and the human hand.
    — AD PRO, Architectural Digest, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Kaia Gerber left little to the imagination in a diaphanous black dress at the London premiere of The Shards.
    — Hannah Malach, InStyle, 30 July 2026
Definition of diaphanous
Adjective
  • But too few of those ideas yield satisfying conclusions, resulting in a drama that becomes treacly and insubstantial, reaching for a profundity that remains elusive.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026
  • The wall was as insubstantial as a set on a film studio’s back lot.
    — Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
Definition of insubstantial

Browse Nearby Words

lighters
lighter-than-air
light-fingered
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lighter-than-air.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lighter-than-air. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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