as in easily
without difficulty
you're not going to get off lightly if they catch you!
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lightly
In Kleinschmidt’s lightly disguised description published in the journal American Imago, Roth is depicted as a southern playwright suffering from dreadful guilt over leaving his wife—this, of course, a strikingly different version than Roth’s own obsessively repetitive account.
—
Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025
Noa, her first husband (1997-98), didn’t take that diss lightly.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2025
Toast until lightly crisp, mash a ripe avocado with a fork, and spread it evenly across the bread.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Oct. 2025
The Chiefs cannot afford to take them lightly.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lightly
Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025
Noa, her first husband (1997-98), didn’t take that diss lightly.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2025
Toast until lightly crisp, mash a ripe avocado with a fork, and spread it evenly across the bread.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Oct. 2025
The Chiefs cannot afford to take them lightly.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lightly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lightly
Adverb
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Antoine Semenyo’s finish did come as part of a counter-attacking sequence, but the 25-year-old was able to get across Robertson too easily before converting first time from a David Brooks cross from the left flank.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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Mahagonny presents a parable that could easily translate across in space and in time, but The Silver Lake, with Weill’s music and a libretto by Georg Kaiser, specifically focuses on the condition of Germany in the twilight of the Weimar Republic.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
16 Oct. 2025
Adverb
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In September, Gilligan told Entertainment Weekly that Carol's plan to figure out what's happening is not going to go smoothly.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 Oct. 2025
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As a result, my 2024 eclipse experience went infinitely more smoothly than my first time around.—
Maya Silver,
Outside,
21 Oct. 2025
Adverb
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Pair it with tights, knee-high boots, and a denim jacket for an effortlessly put together look.—
Mia Huelsbeck,
PEOPLE,
19 Oct. 2025
-
The boxy, oversized fit gives it that effortlessly cool vibe—pair it with baggy jeans, pleated trousers, or even a midi skirt.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Oct. 2025
Adverb
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This compact and cordless upright vacuum has up to 70 minutes of run time, is always charging while docked, and has an auto-empty feature to make cleanup easy.—
Alanna Martine Kilkeary,
Glamour,
17 Oct. 2025
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For easy-going beats on the move, without the anxiety, the Beats Flex Wireless Earphones sounds like a no brainer.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
17 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
Photos of the rocker with his famous friends lined the walls, and a bartender freely poured Hagar’s Santo Tequila.—
Mark Gray,
PEOPLE,
20 Oct. 2025
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Gas prices are viewed as an important economic indicator, although lower prices don’t guarantee a booming economy, and recent news and data points are showing an economy in which wealthy Americans appear to be spending freely, while poorer households seem to be pulling back.—
Frank Witsil,
Freep.com,
20 Oct. 2025
Adverb
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When your body has enough B12, this process works more efficiently, which can increase your energy levels and motivation to be active.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Health,
21 Oct. 2025
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See below for the best tips from professional cleaners on how to clean your blinds at home easily and efficiently, without wasting your whole day wiping them down.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
21 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
Today, mega-AI rounds readily hit billions, and there’s a confusing but broad sense that more money flowing into a startup automatically guarantees long-term success.—
Allie Garfinkle,
Fortune,
17 Oct. 2025
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A lot has happened to the Jeep since American soldiers planted a flag on Iwo Jima, but after 80 years, the family resemblance of today’s Jeep Wrangler to the original is still readily apparent, though contemporary models are thoroughly modern cars.—
Robert Ross,
Robb Report,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lightly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lightly. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
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