lighthearted

adjective

light·​heart·​ed ˈlīt-ˌhär-təd How to pronounce lighthearted (audio)
1
: free from care, anxiety, or seriousness : happy-go-lucky
a lighthearted mood
2
: cheerfully optimistic and hopeful : easygoing
they can be lighthearted in the midst of miseryH. J. Forman
lightheartedly adverb
lightheartedness noun

Examples of lighthearted in a Sentence

his lighthearted attitude in the face of danger was the source of some concern
Recent Examples on the Web The last video released by the company, featuring Professor Ludwig Von Drake, urged shareholders to only vote for Disney’s board nominees, and was more lighthearted in tone. Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Mar. 2024 Related Watch Rick Astley Cover Olivia Rodrigo’s 'Drivers License' for BBC Radio 2 The young actors are all excellent, especially once the tone gets a bit more lighthearted after a frequently tense opening episode. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 8 Mar. 2024 This lighthearted romp has been drawing laughs and raves for nearly a century, with no end in sight. Duante Beddingfield, Detroit Free Press, 23 Feb. 2024 However, the general public seems to appreciate the lighthearted approach. Kris Van Cleave, CBS News, 1 Feb. 2024 The show’s pieces casually jump from lighthearted modern day scenes to ancient Mayan imagery to Gaitan’s own spirituality. Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2024 The beautiful evening was emceed by Comedian Kim Coles, who kept the evening flowing in a lighthearted manner. Shelby Stewart, Essence, 5 Mar. 2024 Rapp will also make her Coachella debut in April and earned praise for her recent Saturday Night Live performance, which featured a strong, memorable vocal showing and another fun, lighthearted, cute pairing with Megan Thee Stallion. Mesfin Fekadu, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Feb. 2024 Take the older, quieter teen out for dinner and keep it lighthearted. Meghan Leahy, Washington Post, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lighthearted.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lighthearted was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near lighthearted

Cite this Entry

“Lighthearted.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lighthearted. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

lighthearted

adjective
light·​heart·​ed -ˈhärt-əd How to pronounce lighthearted (audio)
: free from worry
lightheartedly adverb
lightheartedness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on lighthearted

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