lightly

adverb

light·​ly ˈlīt-lē 

: in a light manner: such as

a

: with little weight or force : gently

b

: with indifference or carelessness : unconcernedly

the problem should not be passed over lightly

—Shelly Halpern

c

: with little difficulty : easily

d

: gaily, cheerfully

e

: in an agile manner : nimbly, swiftly

the cat leapt lightly onto the table

f

: in a small degree or amount

lightly salted food

Synonyms

• easily
• easy
• effortlessly
• facilely
• fluently
• freely
• handily
• hands down
• painlessly
• readily
• smoothly
• well

Examples of lightly in a Sentence

He talks lightly about the problems he's been having at work.

She moved lightly across the room.

These vegetables can be eaten either raw or lightly cooked.

Our troops were armed too lightly to take on the heavily armed invaders.

Considering the harm he did, he's gotten off lightly with only a warning.

The judge let her off lightly with a short sentence.

Recent Examples on the Web

Bake in preheated oven, 1 baking sheet at a time, until lightly browned around edges and candies have melted, 10 to 12 minutes. —Anna Theoktisto, Southern Living, 1 Dec. 2024

The following has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity. —Kristin Stoller, Fortune, 1 Dec. 2024

This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for length and clarity. —Sonaiya Kelley, Los Angeles Times, 29 Nov. 2024

Everything—from cosmetics to skincare—is gentle, lightly pigmented, and free of artificial fragrances. —Robyn Merrett, StyleCaster, 29 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing lightly

• take lightly
• tread lightly