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 of lightly

• easily
• smoothly
• effortlessly
• easy
• freely
• efficiently
• readily

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

The pencil comes in five hues—including black, brown, and taupe—and its pigment goes on lightly to avoid a look that’s too thick or opaque. — Jenny Berg, Vogue, 6 Oct. 2026

The kingdom acknowledged on Tuesday that two of its airports were attacked, leaving three lightly injured and damaging the facilities. — ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026

Hold the device slightly at an angle and lightly sweep it across your face, concentrating on areas where pores and texture are more noticeable. — Shani Cohen, Glamour, 6 Oct. 2026

Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation said airports in the cities of Najran and Jizan were hit Monday, damaging both facilities and leaving three lightly injured. — Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing lightly

• take lightly
• tread lightly

Rhymes for lightly

• brightly
• knightly
• nightly
• rightly
• sightly
• slightly
• sprightly
• tightly
• whitely
• forthrightly
• fortnightly
• politely