lightly
Americanadverb
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with little weight, force, intensity, etc.; gently.
to press lightly on a door bell.
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to only a small amount or degree; slightly.
lightly fried eggs.
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to leap lightly aside.
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with a lack of concern; indifferently; slightly.
to think lightly of one's achievements.
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cheerfully; without complaining.
to take bad news lightly.
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without due consideration or reason (often used negatively).
an offer not to be refused lightly.
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without trouble or effort; easily.
Lightly come, lightly go.
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frivolously; flippantly.
to behave lightly.
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airily; buoyantly.
flags floating lightly.
Etymology
Origin of lightly
First recorded before 900; Middle English lightli, Old English lēohtlīce; light 2, -ly
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
South Ayrshire Council said the decision had not been taken lightly and reflected "significant operational, environmental and financial pressures affecting the long term sustainability of the diving pool".
From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026
Epiatheracerium itjilik was relatively small and lightly built, comparable in size to a modern Indian rhinoceros but without a horn.
From Science Daily • Mar. 24, 2026
Shelf-stable gnocchi, lightly tossed in oil, crisp where they touch the hot pan and remain tender within.
From Salon • Mar. 23, 2026
Spin, for instance, like a flower in the wind, or lightly snap your fingers to recall the sound of rain.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 22, 2026
I’d lightly patted my bushy curls and frowned.
From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
