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
Still, designing a front porch is not a task to take lightly.
—
Perri Ormont Blumberg, Architectural Digest, 19 June 2026
In the divot, crack 2 large eggs and lightly beat them with the fork.
—Sheela Prakash, Bon Appetit Magazine, 19 June 2026
The conversation, lightly edited for length and clarity, follows below.
—Brenton Blanchet, PEOPLE, 19 June 2026
Sending him out to sell a vague agreement with Iran is unlikely to win over the hawks who wonder why Tehran is getting off so lightly and whether the war was in vain.
—Rob Crilly, The Washington Examiner, 17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for lightly
Perri Ormont Blumberg, Architectural Digest, 19 June 2026
In the divot, crack 2 large eggs and lightly beat them with the fork.
—Sheela Prakash, Bon Appetit Magazine, 19 June 2026
The conversation, lightly edited for length and clarity, follows below.
—Brenton Blanchet, PEOPLE, 19 June 2026
Sending him out to sell a vague agreement with Iran is unlikely to win over the hawks who wonder why Tehran is getting off so lightly and whether the war was in vain.
—Rob Crilly, The Washington Examiner, 17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for lightly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lightly
Adverb
-
With a V-neck and button-up front, this top transitions easily from the office to off-duty plans.—
Jill Layton,
PEOPLE,
19 June 2026
-
With two minutes to play in stoppage time, Mexico easily cleared a corner kick from South Korea to keep the Red Devils at bay.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
19 June 2026
Adverb
-
The bias cut drapes smoothly, and the mocha dot print (my favorite option) adds a subtle statement without feeling too loud.—
Paris Wilson,
Travel + Leisure,
21 June 2026
-
But these conservation efforts, including a successful campaign to ban the use of dynamite in fishing, didn't always go smoothly.—
Jane Arraf,
NPR,
21 June 2026
Adverb
-
This styling approach will earn you major points for overall outfit cohesion while creating a bold look that still feels effortlessly understated.—
Jennifer Hussein,
InStyle,
20 June 2026
-
The best Beats Pill to date, the 2024 edition delivers high-quality wireless sound (and wired), incredible 24-hour battery life and pairs effortlessly for iPhone users.—
Carlos Mejia,
PC Magazine,
20 June 2026
Adverb
-
The memory foam layers adjust to your sleep position, which makes falling asleep easy.—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
15 June 2026
-
Thyme is an easy-growing, evergreen Mediterranean shrub that is generally low maintenance, thriving in sun conditions.—
Heather Bien,
The Spruce,
15 June 2026
Adverb
-
What about a legal right for AIs to freely access the public internet (the right to information); or a legal right for AIs to interact with other AIs (the right to associate); or a legal right to some minimum amount of computing power (the right to necessary resources)?—
Rob Toews,
Forbes.com,
22 June 2026
-
As for their hairstyles, while Lady Eliza chose to let her hair flow freely over her shoulders, her sister Amelia opted for an extremely elegant low ponytail.—
Laura Scafati,
Vanity Fair,
20 June 2026
Adverb
-
But Boston has not wisely or efficiently reinvested that money into the team, with the exception of the offseason trade for Willson Contreras to play first base.—
Stephen J. Nesbitt,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
-
The Ranch consists of a selective bunch of professionals that work seamlessly, cohesively together, allowing the Ranch to run efficiently for the guests who traveled from far and near to visit.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 June 2026
Adverb
-
The most readily available funds are the roughly $12 billion sitting in Qatar, noted Gregory Brew, senior Iran and energy analyst at Eurasia Group.—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
-
Consumers face a constant threat of high inflation, readily exacerbated by external shocks such as the Iran war, triggering a demand for safe currency stores.—
Alexander Onukwue,
semafor.com,
17 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lightly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lightly. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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