What does "lightning" mean?
A flash of light produced by short-duration, high-voltage discharge of electricity within a cloud, between clouds, or between a cloud and the earth.
Lightning
/ˈlaɪt.nɪŋ/ adj, noun, verb, slang
adj, noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A flash of light produced by short-duration, high-voltage discharge of electricity within a cloud, between clouds, or between a cloud and the earth.
- Grammar: lightning is listed as adj, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: antelope, arrow, ball lightning, blue darter.
- Useful contrasts: calm weather, dim, dull.
- Usage evidence: I'm at the hospital. I got struck by lightning.
How to use "lightning"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "lightning" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "lightning" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "lightning" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "lightning" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "lightning" is acting as adj, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "antelope" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "lightning", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A flash of light produced by short-duration, high-voltage discharge of electricity within a cloud, between clouds, or between a cloud and the earth. uncountable, usually
"Although we did not see the lightning, we did hear the thunder."
- 2 the flash of light that accompanies an electric discharge in the atmosphere (or something resembling such a flash); can scintillate for a second or more wordnet
- 3 A discharge of this kind. uncountable, usually
"The lightning was hot enough to melt the sand."
- 4 abrupt electric discharge from cloud to cloud or from cloud to earth accompanied by the emission of light wordnet
- 5 Anything that moves very fast. figuratively, uncountable, usually
"Nobs, though, was lightning by comparison with the slow thinking beast and dodged his opponent's thrust with ease. Then he raced to the rear of the tremendous thing and seized it by the tail."
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 Gin. archaic, slang, uncountable, usually
"I took some gin but it did little to calm my mood. […] 'Come now, Bess,' she entreated, and poured another glass of lightning. 'Tell your old mother everything.' I took a gulp of the spirit, then babbled all, showing her the loot now in my possession."
- 7 Obsolete form of lightening. alt-of, obsolete, uncountable, usually
Verb
- 1 To produce lightning. childish, impersonal, intransitive, nonstandard
"Or if it thundered and lightninged, Aunt Frances always dropped everything she might be doing and held Elizabeth Ann tightly in her arms until it was all over."
Adjective
- 1 Extremely fast or sudden; moving (as if) at the speed of lightning. not-comparable
"The insurgents then began their lightning advance along the Euphrates in the Sunni heartland toward Baghdad."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"I'm at the hospital. I got struck by lightning."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "lightning"?
Common synonyms include: antelope, arrow, ball lightning, blue darter, blue streak, bolt.
How do you use "lightning" in a sentence?
I'm at the hospital. I got struck by lightning.
How do you pronounce "lightning"?
Pronounced /ˈlaɪt.nɪŋ/.
Etymology
From light(e)n + -ing. Doublet of lightening.