as in easily
without difficulty
you're not going to get off lightly if they catch you!
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 lightly
In a large bowl lightly beat the eggs.
—
Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Feb. 2026
Zinc roofs clattered lightly against each other in the wind, the only sound in the village.
—Pelumi Salako, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
Change the water every few days or keep the soil lightly moist but never wet.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 6 Feb. 2026
Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes, or until the apples are lightly browned.
—Gretchen McKay, Twin Cities, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lightly
Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Feb. 2026
Zinc roofs clattered lightly against each other in the wind, the only sound in the village.
—Pelumi Salako, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
Change the water every few days or keep the soil lightly moist but never wet.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 6 Feb. 2026
Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes, or until the apples are lightly browned.
—Gretchen McKay, Twin Cities, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lightly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lightly
Adverb
-
However, this is most easily observed in the most luminous and/or the most massive stars, such as stars in the asymptotic giant branch phase.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Lighter damage often heals easily on its own, but deeper burns destroy both surface and deeper tissues.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
5 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Travel Document Organizer You’d be surprised how many times a day passengers arrive at the front of the check-in line without their photo ID ready, something Crook says is essential for keeping the line moving smoothly.—
Kayla Becker,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Hotels tend to prefer water activities that integrate smoothly into guest stays.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
7 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Automet Leather Blazer Leather outerwear never goes out of style, and this $20 blazer pairs effortlessly with everything, like casual jeans and a tank and an evening dress and heels.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Feb. 2026
-
The effortlessly cool style was embraced by everyone's favorite American in Paris, Emily Cooper, in a variety of tweeds.—
Lane Nieset,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
This part’s easy; ruling out non-biological alternatives is hard.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
9 Feb. 2026
-
My girls did easy-to-understand sports like track and volleyball.—
Linda Perillo,
New York Daily News,
8 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Let the cards and crafts travel freely between homes.—
Jann Blackstone,
Boston Herald,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Money may flow freely as the intuitive Moon moves through your 2nd House of Resources, trining lucky Jupiter in your 10th House of Goals.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
8 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Microorganisms naturally require trace amounts of some rare earth elements, and researchers can adjust conditions so the microbes efficiently take them up.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The ultra-soft, heat-retaining fabric stretches close to the body, trapping warmth efficiently and making long evenings at Copenhagen’s Christmas markets far more enjoyable.—
Michelle Tchea,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Sometimes that presented itself more readily than other times, and some entries were more of a struggle.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Iron is most readily available to the body in meat and certain types of fish.—
Claire Cameron,
Scientific American,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lightly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lightly. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
