as in easily
without difficulty
you're not going to get off lightly if they catch you!
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lightly
This interview is lightly edited and condensed for clarity.
—
Christine Terrisse, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2026
Questions have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
—Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
First printed in our March 2006 issue, the soup is lightly simmered, then blended until completely smooth.
—Selma Brown Morrow, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 Apr. 2026
Honey is used to lightly sweeten the filling, which includes cardamom, along with orange zest and juice for flavor.
—Jasmine Smith, Southern Living, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lightly
Christine Terrisse, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2026
Questions have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
—Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
First printed in our March 2006 issue, the soup is lightly simmered, then blended until completely smooth.
—Selma Brown Morrow, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 Apr. 2026
Honey is used to lightly sweeten the filling, which includes cardamom, along with orange zest and juice for flavor.
—Jasmine Smith, Southern Living, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lightly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lightly
Adverb
-
Werner said the parking lot is known to have coyotes at night, which could have easily harmed such a small dog.—
Sydney Barragan,
Oc Register,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The musical’s score by Ingrid Michaelson isn’t traditionally melodic, with big leaps from note to note that can easily strain a singer’s voice.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
The sliders and visualizations functioned smoothly, but the interface had a minor drawback.—
Jibin Joseph,
PC Magazine,
10 Apr. 2026
-
And things don’t always go smoothly.—
Meena Thiruvengadam,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Protective bumpers on the front and back help guard against scratches and dents, while four smooth-rolling wheels keep things moving effortlessly through crowded terminals.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Apr. 2026
-
They’re made from a cotton-blend fabric that keeps you cool on steamy spring and summer commutes, and have a five-pocket design that effortlessly combines polish with function.—
Averi Baudler,
PEOPLE,
11 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Garlicky breadcrumbs, salty parm, and sweet snap peas make eating your greens extra easy.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
13 Apr. 2026
-
How to Cook Filet Mignon in the Broiler Learning how to cook filet mignon in the broiler makes serving an extra-special meal unbelievably easy.—
Sheena Chihak,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
If ever mastered, this could help things like submarines navigate freely underwater without ever having to surface.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Alibaba, the e-commerce giant, has invested in open-source models, which can be downloaded and modified freely by developers.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
12 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Near-term focus on strategic acquisitions and opportunity to scale efficiently.—
Michael Bloom,
CNBC,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Viking river cruise cabins are usually 200 square feet, so every bit of space should be used efficiently.—
Anna Popp,
Travel + Leisure,
14 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
They are readily killed by a light frost.—
Special to The Denver Post,
Denver Post,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The shell was probably soft and leathery and didn’t fossilize readily, which would explain why scientists have not found signs of therapsid eggs until now.—
Kate Wong,
Scientific American,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lightly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lightly. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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