take lightly
idiom
: to not treat seriously
My doctor took my concerns lightly, telling me not to worry too much.
—usually used in negative statementsThis is a serious problem that should not be taken lightly.
Examples of take lightly in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Certainly, the Sino-Russian relationship is not without its strains, and existing tensions may be exacerbated as China grows more confident and is tempted to start bossing around the Russians in a more heavy-handed way—something that no ruler in Moscow would take lightly.
—
Alexander Gabuev, Foreign Affairs, 9 Apr. 2024
Taking on the Chinese government is a step that dissidents, even those abroad, do not take lightly.
—Mo Abbas, NBC News, 3 Mar. 2024
Single-digit temperatures and below-zero wind chills are nothing to take lightly when forced out into arctic winter weather that has been sweepin the country.
—Chris Sims, The Indianapolis Star, 16 Jan. 2024
King Arthur Baking Company's 2024 Recipe of the Year: Their Best Chocolate Chip Cookie
Declaring something the Recipe of the Year isn't a claim to take lightly.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Feb. 2024
This is a difficult decision to make and one that my leadership team and I do not take lightly.
—Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Jan. 2024
Bipartisan consensus is rare these days, so the growing coalition of policymakers, advocacy groups, and community leaders warning against the negative impacts of stricter capital requirements is not something to take lightly.
—Kevin Fromer, Fortune, 6 Dec. 2023
The chance to chase that feeling is something Marling and Batmanglij don’t take lightly.
—Daniel D'addario, Variety, 8 Nov. 2023
The decision to walk off the job is not one that pharmacists take lightly, but for many the action is unavoidable, Hogue said.
—Jaclyn Peiser, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 2023
Alexander Gabuev, Foreign Affairs, 9 Apr. 2024
Taking on the Chinese government is a step that dissidents, even those abroad, do not take lightly.
—Mo Abbas, NBC News, 3 Mar. 2024
Single-digit temperatures and below-zero wind chills are nothing to take lightly when forced out into arctic winter weather that has been sweepin the country.
—Chris Sims, The Indianapolis Star, 16 Jan. 2024
King Arthur Baking Company's 2024 Recipe of the Year: Their Best Chocolate Chip Cookie
Declaring something the Recipe of the Year isn't a claim to take lightly.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Feb. 2024
This is a difficult decision to make and one that my leadership team and I do not take lightly.
—Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Jan. 2024
Bipartisan consensus is rare these days, so the growing coalition of policymakers, advocacy groups, and community leaders warning against the negative impacts of stricter capital requirements is not something to take lightly.
—Kevin Fromer, Fortune, 6 Dec. 2023
The chance to chase that feeling is something Marling and Batmanglij don’t take lightly.
—Daniel D'addario, Variety, 8 Nov. 2023
The decision to walk off the job is not one that pharmacists take lightly, but for many the action is unavoidable, Hogue said.
—Jaclyn Peiser, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'take lightly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near take lightly
Cite this Entry
“Take lightly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20lightly. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.
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