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
The conversation is lightly edited for clarity and brevity.
—
Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 5 Jan. 2026
Then coat your sink in dish soap and lightly scrub with a sponge to remove all food particles, stuck-on-gunk, and more.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 4 Jan. 2026
Though this is far from his first go-around, Glasper doesn't take the honor lightly.
—Daniela Avila, PEOPLE, 4 Jan. 2026
Some questions have been lightly edited for style and clarity.
—Kevin Kurz, New York Times, 3 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lightly
Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 5 Jan. 2026
Then coat your sink in dish soap and lightly scrub with a sponge to remove all food particles, stuck-on-gunk, and more.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 4 Jan. 2026
Though this is far from his first go-around, Glasper doesn't take the honor lightly.
—Daniela Avila, PEOPLE, 4 Jan. 2026
Some questions have been lightly edited for style and clarity.
—Kevin Kurz, New York Times, 3 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lightly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lightly
Adverb
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People connect more easily when interactions feel human rather than transactional.—
Britney Porter,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
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The neighborhood/area California’s Big Sur is legendary, and beloved, for a reason—the 70-mile stretch of coastline is easily one of the most beautiful in the world.—
Lauren Sloss,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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Although the meeting went smoothly and led to concrete commitments, the bonhomie was strained by uncomfortable questions at a news conference about the issue hanging over the day’s diplomacy.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
9 Jan. 2026
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Their study on the jagged frontier shows that AI capability spikes and dips across activities rather than rising smoothly with difficulty.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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Its key strength is a committed lead performance from Rinko Kikuchi, who fits effortlessly into a role inspired by the director’s mother.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
23 Jan. 2026
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Terms of UsePrivacy Policy Terms of UsePrivacy Policy Even in the dead of winter in New York, leave it to Rihanna to give a lesson on being effortlessly chic.—
Essence,
Essence,
23 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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The easy-on, easy-off design is a win for airport security, while the sporty silhouette works with everything from jeans and sweatpants to even skirts.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
21 Jan. 2026
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It was supposed to be an easy-going guys' weekend for Chaz Crosse, Andrew Schultz and his four friends.—
Tony Peterson,
CBS News,
21 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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In this space, the living room freely flows into the kitchen and dining area.—
Claire Hoppe Norgaard,
Better Homes & Gardens,
13 Jan. 2026
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Outdoor air must flow freely through the space.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
13 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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Vaughan said the reductions happened during an inflection point in the tech industry, where failure to efficiently adopt AI could be fatal for a company.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
20 Jan. 2026
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Unlike conventional horizontal turbines, which must orient themselves toward the wind to operate efficiently, the Grain Blanc captures wind from any direction.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
20 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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Prevent or mitigate the downsides, and meanwhile make the upsides as widely and readily available as possible.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
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No information was readily available on a suspect or possible motive in the incident as their investigation continued.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
21 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lightly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lightly. Accessed 25 Jan. 2026.
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