lightweight
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a person who competes in a specific weight class, usually between featherweight and welterweight.
n.a professional weight division in sports such as boxing, wrestling, and MMA, typically falling between featherweight and welterweight.
Simple“The lightweight won the championship after a very fast and exciting fight.”
In context“The lightweight division remains one of the most competitive in the sport, requiring a perfect balance of speed and punching power.”
UsageOften used as a modifier before another noun, like 'lightweight champion'.
Antonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
n.someone who is not important or does not have much influence or ability.
n.a person of little importance, influence, or intellectual depth.
Simple“The other politicians ignored him because they thought he was a lightweight.”
In context“Despite his family connections, he was regarded as a political lightweight who lacked the gravitas to lead the party.”
Teacher's tipThis is the metaphorical opposite of a 'heavyweight' in a professional or intellectual context.
SynonymsnobodynonentityAntonyms - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a person who gets drunk very quickly after only a small amount of alcohol.
n.an individual with a low physiological tolerance for alcohol.
Simple“I am such a lightweight that I feel dizzy after just one glass of wine.”
In context“He earned a reputation as a lightweight among his colleagues after falling asleep at the first office happy hour.”
Teacher's tipThis is a very common informal usage in social settings, often used in a lighthearted or self-deprecating way.
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.made of thin or light material; not weighing very much.
adj.having relatively little weight; specifically designed to be portable or easy to move.
Simple“You should bring a lightweight jacket because it might get cool in the evening.”
In context“The hikers preferred lightweight carbon-fiber poles to reduce the strain on their joints during the long ascent.”
- 05 C1 Advanced
adj.software that is small, fast, and does not use much of a computer's power.
adj.referring to software or protocols designed to have a small footprint and minimal impact on system resources.
Simple“I use a lightweight browser because my old laptop cannot run the heavy ones.”
In context“The developers opted for a lightweight framework to ensure the application remained responsive even on older mobile hardware.”
- 06 C2 Proficiency
v.to make something weigh less by using different materials.
v.to reduce the weight of a vehicle or structure, typically to improve performance or fuel efficiency.
Simple“The engineers had to lightweight the car to meet the new racing rules.”
In context“By lightweighting the chassis with aluminum alloys, the manufacturer significantly improved the vehicle's power-to-weight ratio.”
Synonyms
“The tag is lightweight and designed to fall off naturally when the bird molts its feathers.”
“She says shorts are "the trickiest item to get right in a professional environment" and recommends tailored, longer shorts paired with a crisp shirt or lightweight blazer for both men and women.”
From light (“not heavy”, adjective) + weight (noun).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.