as in abandon
carefree freedom from constraint
he approaches his medical duties with a lightheartedness that some patients find disturbing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 lightheartedness
In a film that nimbly walks the tightrope between lightheartedness and weightlessness, Jerry and Mabel’s antagonistic relationship ends up proving the unexpected core of the story.
—
Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 2 Mar. 2026
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
Using a similar method as the one scientists follow to determine the animals responsible for fossilized footprints — but with a dose of lightheartedness — Granatosky and his colleagues carried out the first scientific analysis of the imprint, published Tuesday in the journal Biology Letters.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025
Quick-witted, effortlessly funny, DePaul brought a lightheartedness to the table during a particularly dark point in the story.
—Dana Reboe, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2025
Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 2 Mar. 2026
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
Using a similar method as the one scientists follow to determine the animals responsible for fossilized footprints — but with a dose of lightheartedness — Granatosky and his colleagues carried out the first scientific analysis of the imprint, published Tuesday in the journal Biology Letters.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025
Quick-witted, effortlessly funny, DePaul brought a lightheartedness to the table during a particularly dark point in the story.
—Dana Reboe, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lightheartedness
Noun
-
Others are more than happy to grow in the damp, but will spread with wild abandon.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
3 May 2026
-
In that derelict playground, Lucy reminisces about her hippie youth, then spins in joyful abandon on a rusty carrousel.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
That ease and naturalness are paramount to Copeland.—
Tamim Alnuweiri,
InStyle,
9 Apr. 2026
-
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
Noun
-
Liz, meanwhile, talks about the abandonment issues she’s dealt with since the loss of her mother, blaming that for her tough exterior.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
4 May 2026
-
Parental abandonment is passed down, learned.—
James Wood,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
On the heels of this enthusiasm, Manus, on March 5, 2025, released an AI tool that took the tech to the next level, from generating ideas to autonomously completing tasks.—
Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Oliver, a New York Times bestselling author who previously worked with Henry Winkler on the Hank Zipzer series, was moved by Hawn's enthusiasm.—
Eric Andersson,
PEOPLE,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The quartet lived and died by its spontaneity.—
Billie Bugara,
Pitchfork,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Roadtripping offers a unique blend of spontaneity and flexibility that many other forms of travel simply do not have.—
Becca Stanek,
TheWeek,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
After summer-like warmth, rainy weather and cooler temperatures return to the New York City area Wednesday and Thursday.—
Matthew Villafane,
CBS News,
6 May 2026
-
But Rashad renders even the most harrowing scenes with levity and warmth.—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
Pitchfork,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
Even though Kapelovitz claimed that Walgren is biased in favor of the prosecution, his absolute zeal for restoring criminals, no matter how awful their crimes, indicates that he himself may be biased in favor of defendants, which again calls into question his ability to rule impartially.—
Rafael Perez,
Daily News,
7 May 2026
-
Katherine Graham, the then-publisher of the Washington Post, was facing intense pressure to pull support from the investigative zeal of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, her young reporting stars.—
Peter Bart,
Deadline,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
For the cover of the May 11 & 18, 2026, special issue, themed around America’s 250th birthday, the cartoonist Barry Blitt portrays George Washington, the country’s first President, caught in the spirit of the moment.—
Françoise Mouly,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Mayor Mamdani was elected with that spirit at the center of his agenda.—
Jonathan Timm,
New York Daily News,
3 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lightheartedness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lightheartedness. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
