lightly

adverb
UK: /ˈlaɪt.li/
US: /ˈlaɪt.li/

  1. With little weight or force.

    1. Touch the keys lightly. [ ] [ ]
    2. She lightly brushed the dust off the antique table before polishing it. [ ] [ ]

  2. In a gentle or delicate manner.

    1. Mix the ingredients lightly. [ ] [ ]
    2. The dancers moved lightly across the stage, barely making a sound. [ ] [ ]

  3. To a small degree; slightly.

    1. I am lightly dressed. [ ] [ ]
    2. The company was only lightly affected by the economic downturn last year. [ ] [ ]

  4. Without much concern or seriousness.

    1. He treats it too lightly. [ ] [ ]
    2. The seriousness of the situation wasn't considered lightly by the investigative team. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "lightly" in English means: With little weight or force., In a gentle or delicate manner., To a small degree; slightly., Without much concern or seriousness..

The phonetic transcription of "lightly" is /ˈlaɪt.li/ in British English and /ˈlaɪt.li/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Example usage of "lightly": "Touch the keys lightly.". More examples on the page.