lightning

1 of 3

noun

light·​ning ˈlīt-niŋ 

1

: the flashing of light produced by a discharge of atmospheric electricity

also : the discharge itself

2

: a sudden stroke of fortune

candidates … hoping for real lightning to strike

—Time

lightning

2 of 3

adjective

: having or moving with or as if with the speed and suddenness of lightning

a lightning assault

lightning

3 of 3

verb

lightninged; lightning

intransitive verb

: to discharge a flash of lightning

Synonyms

Adjective

• blistering
• breakneck
• breathless
• brisk
• dizzy
• fast
• fleet
• fleet-footed
• flying
• galloping
• hasty
• hot
• nippy
• quick
• rapid
• rapid-fire
• rattling
• snappy
• speedy
• splitting
• swift
• whirlwind
• zippy

Examples of lightning in a Sentence

Adjective

thoughts moving at lightning speed

he made a lightning dash for the goal

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Russia and Iran also pooled their efforts to shore up Bashar Assad’s government during Syria’s civil war, but failed to prevent his downfall last month after a lightning offensive by the opposition. —Vladimir Isachenkov, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2025

And news stories can develop faster than a lightning bolt strikes its target. —John Hall, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025

Verb

The bar also has a basketball court — put in after a tree was struck by lightning and fell over into the parking lot. —Dallas News, 17 Oct. 2022

As art, the districts are a whimsical collection of fire-breathing dragons, lightning bolts and doodlebugs. —Dallas News, 3 Jan. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun, Adjective, and Verb

Middle English, from gerund of lightenen to lighten

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1576, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1861, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing lightning

• at lightning speed
• ball lightning
• catch/capture lightning in a bottle
• heat lightning
• lightning arrester
• lightning bug
• lightning conductor
• lightning never strikes (the same place) twice
• lightning rod
• lightning strike
• like (greased) lightning
• sheet lightning
• white lightning

Kids Definition

lightning

1 of 2 noun

light·​ning ˈlīt-niŋ 

: the flashing of light produced by a discharge of atmospheric electricity from one cloud to another or between a cloud and the earth

also : the discharge itself

lightning

2 of 2 adjective

: moving or done with or as if with the speed of lightning