lightheartedness

Definition of lightheartednessnext

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 Often derided by critics during its initial airing, the show’s silliness and lightheartedness has continued to stand the test of time. Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Aug. 2026 That lightheartedness quickly evolved into the NFL’s biggest off-field competition. Karla Cote, Variety, 15 May 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lightheartedness
Noun
  • Self-consciousness has embedded itself too deeply in our collective culture, replacing the abandon needed to strive without embarrassment, or take a chance on the choice that doesn’t feel the safest.
    Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The book had its share of wild parties, conspicuous consumption and drunken abandon.
    Deputy Managing Editor, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Acted with breathtaking ensemble naturalness, the play seems lived in rather than performed.
    Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The ensemble of actors is convincing in its naturalness, with the characterizations remaining consistently precise and ambivalent.
    Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 25 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • With the storyline of a friend moving away, the film touches on the fear of abandonment that many in the Philippines experience when a family member or friend moves away to build a better life for themselves overseas.
    Angeline Jane Bernabe, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Set against the backdrop of political dishonesty and the country’s abandonment of ideals, the book probes questions about how to be an artist in the world.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The staffers of the Truth Teller start the second season pumped with enthusiasm after their winning night at an Ohio journalism awards ceremony.
    Julie Hinds, Freep.com, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Organizers are hoping to boost GOP enthusiasm, but the confab is getting a lackluster reception from some in the party.
    Joey Garrison, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • As a growing portion of Gen Zers burn out on dating apps, a new crop of ventures and events are trying to bring back offline spontaneity, from matchmaking photobooths, to singles mixers and revivals of Victorian-era acquaintance cards.
    Rachel Hale, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Why bother for spontaneity when two people are doing the exact same thing at the same time?
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • For hundreds of thousands of years, our species has enjoyed the warmth and protection of a good fire before bedtime.
    Mike McRae September 02, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Nor is Gadot a performer inclined to lend much more than athleticism to a role that could use some warmth and idiosyncrasy to color its rather generic action-hero gist.
    Dennis Harvey, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The Leipzig scenes are both ephemeral and integral; later, Taro will speculate that if the Germans had had the same revolutionary zeal as the Spanish, Hitler might have been defeated.
    Damon Wise, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Even the newcomers to this season’s Bears quickly noticed a way of doing things that felt purposeful and full of zeal.
    Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • In her latest book, Stay Buried, siblings new to a remote Vermont town discover that the locals live in fear of a vengeful spirit.
    The Week US, TheWeek, 2 Sep. 2026
  • But the legacy of the modernist academic-cultural complex blinds us to the mimetic spirit of this new technical logic.
    Mario Carpo, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Lightheartedness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lightheartedness. Accessed 9 Sep. 2026.

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