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 new haircut keeps the main length while cutting in thick bangs that hit equidistance from her brows and hairline, feathered lightly to take away any density or heaviness.
—
Mykenna Maniece, Vogue, 29 May 2026
Additional branches can be lightly trimmed to shape the plant and retain its rounded shape.
—Marie Iannotti, The Spruce, 29 May 2026
Questions have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
—Jay King, New York Times, 28 May 2026
Add mushrooms, a couple of pinches salt and pepper, and cook just until lightly brown, about 4 minutes.
—Judy Bart Kancigor, Oc Register, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for lightly
Mykenna Maniece, Vogue, 29 May 2026
Additional branches can be lightly trimmed to shape the plant and retain its rounded shape.
—Marie Iannotti, The Spruce, 29 May 2026
Questions have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
—Jay King, New York Times, 28 May 2026
Add mushrooms, a couple of pinches salt and pepper, and cook just until lightly brown, about 4 minutes.
—Judy Bart Kancigor, Oc Register, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for lightly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lightly
Adverb
-
Just nine miles away from the resort, the terrain is easily accessible but best navigated with an expert.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 May 2026
-
This source of damage is easily avoided by purchasing manure and hay from a reputable source and asking if the source material was treated with aminopyralid.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
29 May 2026
Adverb
-
An event of this magnitude requires significant planning, personnel, equipment and cooperation to go smoothly.—
Doug Turnbull,
AJC.com,
31 May 2026
-
Breathing, movement, swallowing — all of it depends on this communication working smoothly.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Adverb
-
Dakota Johnson has the ability to make any garment look effortlessly chic.—
Michel Mejía,
Glamour,
30 May 2026
-
Linen sets have a way of looking effortlessly polished, and this one is no exception.—
Jill Layton,
PEOPLE,
30 May 2026
Adverb
-
Want to hop on this childlike, fun-loving, and easy-going bandwagon?—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
26 May 2026
-
During an Air Quality Alert, the best action is to take it easy during the hottest part of the day.—
David Yeomans,
CBS News,
26 May 2026
Adverb
-
On their run to the final, PSG scored so freely — six against Bayern Munich, four against Liverpool, eight against Chelsea.—
Amy Lawrence,
New York Times,
31 May 2026
-
But until now, nobody had tested what these compounds do to fish living freely in a natural ecosystem.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
Adverb
-
In the race to build housing more efficiently and affordably, 3D printing is becoming increasingly viable and popular.—
Diana Olick,
CNBC,
26 May 2026
-
To manage all of this complexity, the airline built its own AI system to help its tug drivers move bags more efficiently, like a ridesharing algorithm.—
Joel Rose,
NPR,
26 May 2026
Adverb
-
The challenge is in the data not being readily available, contextualized or integrated.—
John Clemons,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
-
Gourmet is a term that refers to high-quality or specialty foods that are considered superior to what’s readily available at the grocery store.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
27 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lightly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lightly. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
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