lightly

adverb

light·ly ˈlīt-lē

Synonyms of lightly next

: in a light manner: such as

: with little weight or force : gently

: with indifference or carelessness : unconcernedly

the problem should not be passed over lightly—

Shelly Halpern

: with little difficulty : easily

: gaily, cheerfully

: in an agile manner : nimbly, swiftly

the cat leapt lightly onto the table

: in a small degree or amount

lightly salted food

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Note: Submissions have been lightly edited for clarity and length. —

Matthew Fairburn, The Athletic, 18 Feb. 2025 Carefully flip Pancakes and cook until bottoms are lightly golden and Pancakes are cooked through, about 2 minutes. —

Amanda Holstein, Southern Living, 18 Feb. 2025 Type: Liquid Finish: Soft-focus matte How to apply: First, shake the bottle lightly. —

Iman Balagam, Vogue, 18 Feb. 2025 The interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity. —

Joe Lynch, Billboard, 14 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for lightly