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 The first violins unfurl a lilting, lightly bopping tune in D minor. Alex Ross, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025 Almond milk received an honorable mention for its nutrient profile, lightly nutty taste, and versatility in recipes. Laura Schober, Health, 8 Sep. 2025 This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and brevity. Essence, 8 Sep. 2025 Meanwhile, lightly grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set aside. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lightly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lightly
Adverb
  • The chain of landforms to the west of Kauai is so small that it was not easily spotted in the satellite images taken as Kiko roared across the Pacific toward Hawaii as a Category 4 hurricane.
    Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
  • The real premium comes from organizational capability — leadership, culture, and systems that competitors can’t easily copy.
    Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Adverb
  • But the conversation didn’t end smoothly, leaving tension in the air.
    Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2025
  • This convenience explains why, if wallets can't integrate RWAs smoothly, tokenization will remain a niche pursuit.
    Jamie Elkaleh, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Adverb
  • Maybach delivers 4 seconds flat like a swimmer effortlessly backstroking, leaving the Muggles in its wake.
    Mark Ewing, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
  • Fall’s fashion trends mark a return to classicism, with influences from academia and the English countryside, and few pieces capture the mood as effortlessly as blazers.
    Kristina Rutkowski, Glamour, 12 Sep. 2025
Adverb
  • Plus, the leakproof Flex Straw Cap and wide mouth make filling it up easy.
    Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Editing photos on the go just got wicked easy.
    StackCommerce Team, PC Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
Adverb
  • The right to speak freely is the ultimate personal liberty and the foundation of Karen’s 11-year career at The Post.
    Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 16 Sep. 2025
  • As a public institution, UVU upholds First Amendment rights and fosters an environment where ideas – popular or controversial – can be exchanged freely, energetically, and civilly.
    Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 15 Sep. 2025
Adverb
  • This announcement represents a major milestone in the software and hardware needed to efficiently process inference queries, disaggregating inference processing into two workloads with a GPU tailored for each in the case of long-context windows greater than one million tokens.
    Karl Freund, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
  • The electric system is underperforming because utilities and energy companies don’t get rewarded for making the existing system operate more efficiently or adopting new technologies that could render outdated systems obsolete.
    Brian Deese, Foreign Affairs, 9 Sep. 2025
Adverb
  • The system that would have calculated Brown’s risk score — or any defendant’s score — is not readily available to the public, but the Observer found a breakdown of the general formula through the foundation that helped develop Mecklenburg’s policies.
    Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 12 Sep. 2025
  • At least one Johnson County city is supporting a push to make Spanish language voting materials more readily available, with more discussions in other cities underway.
    Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 12 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lightly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lightly. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on lightly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!