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Glite Dictionary
😏 Without care 🪶 Gently 🥗 With moderation
lightly

lightly

86 1.0
In a gentle way using little force
  • adverb
  • /ˈlaɪtli/
translation icon : suavemente
  • Parents were encouraged to lightly bounce their infants to the beat while the others clapped.
  • tread lightly
  • touched lightly
  • hand placed lightly

I'm going to go ahead and just lightly set my under eyes.

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Examples

  • After a long moment, Adam reached across to lightly touch McLeod between the eyes.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • And just ever so lightly tap it down there.

  • Get the temperature up, just lightly starting to smoke.

  • I'm just going to just lightly apply it.

  • In this exercise, you try to touch your partner's chest lightly, and your partner tries to block.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • If you want to put your arm around her, do it gently, do it very lightly.

    Working Girls (1987)

  • Then, in her bare feet, she began to drift lightly to the beguiling sounds.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • Outside, it began to rain lightly, the droplets hitting the window in soft splats.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • Sarah just manages to reach out and brush his cheek lightly with her sleepy fingers.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • She lightly brushed the dust off the table before setting the vase down.

Synonyms

slightly
vslightly
885 1.0

A little, not very much

is specifically about using little force or a small amount
gently
vslightly
372 1.0

To do something with little force to avoid hurting or making noise

is the same idea but stresses small force or small amount
softly
vslightly
95 1.0

In a gentle, light way using little force

is broader, covering any action done with little force or amount
mildly
vslightly
92 2.7

To a small, gentle degree

is about using little physical force or small quantity rather than degree
faintly
vslightly
47 2.7

In a way that is only slightly noticeable

is about using little force, not merely being hard to notice
delicately
vslightly
44 3.7

Gently and carefully to avoid hurting people or breaking things

is more general, focusing on little force or small amount
gingerly
vslightly
23 4.6

In a very careful, slow way to avoid damage or getting hurt

is about applying little force rather than acting from caution
tenderly
vslightly
23 1.6

In a gentle, caring way that shows love

is neutral in feeling and focuses only on small force or amount
caressingly
vslightly
1 4.6

In a gentle, loving way like a soft touch

is about lack of force or pressure, not affectionate intent
light-handedly
vslightly
6.5

To act gently and carefully without using force

is the general notion of using little force rather than the method

Antonyms

heavily
243 1.1

In a way that shows great weight or effort

Compounds

lightly-armed
  • Specialized
3 5.3

With only small weapons and no heavy guns

lightly armored
  • Specialized
6.7

With thin armor that protects against small weapons but not heavy ones

How Strongly

forcefully
49 3.5
firmly
92 1.0
lightly
86 1.0
slightly
885 1.0
barely
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

lightly positive

Morphology

lightly = light (transparent) = light + ly

The adverb 'lightly' is transparently derived from the adjective 'light' by adding the adverbial suffix '-ly'.

Etymology

Lightly comes from light ('not heavy' or 'gentle') plus the ending -ly, which makes it an adverb, so it gives the idea of using only a small amount of force. That's why to touch someone lightly is to touch them gently or softly.