Word.ws English Dictionary

Synonyms of light

87 similar words · 33 opposite words

Another word for light is white. Other synonyms of light are shiny, pale, sparkling, illuminated and radiant. The opposite of light is dark.

Synonyms and similar words for light

verbTo start (a fire).

  • setTo start (a fire).

verbTo set fire to; to set burning.

  • igniteTo set fire to (something), to light (something).
  • kindleTo start (a fire) or light (a torch, a match, coals, etc.).
  • conflagrateTo catch fire.
  • aflame
  • alightOften followed by from or off: to get off an animal which one has been riding; to dismount; to descend or exit from a...
  • fireTo set (something, often a building) on fire.
  • fire upTo ignite.
  • inflameTo set (someone or something) on fire; to cause (someone or something) to burn, flame, or glow; to kindle.
  • enkindleTo kindle; to arouse or evoke.
  • light upTo illuminate, to bring light to something, to brighten.
  • set ablaze
  • set afireSynonym of set on fire.
  • set aflame
  • set alightTo cause (something) to begin to burn.
  • set fire
  • set on fireTo cause to begin to burn.
  • torchTo intentionally destroy (something) by setting it on fire, especially when committing arson in furtherance of some...

verbTo illuminate; to provide light for when it is dark.

  • illuminateTo shine light on something.
  • belightTo light up; illuminate.
  • beshine dialectalTo give light to.
  • brightOften followed by up: to cast light on (someone or something); to brighten, to illuminate.
  • enlightenTo supply with light.
  • illumineTo shine light on (something).
  • irradiateTo make (someone or something) bright by shining light on them or it; to brighten, to illuminate.
  • lightenTo make light or lighter in weight.
  • shed light onTo illuminate; to make clear.
  • illume archaicTo throw or spread light upon; to make light or bright.
  • illustrate obsoleteTo shed light upon.
  • luster obsoleteTo shed light on, to illustrate, to show.
  • lustrate obsolete

verbTo become ignited; to take fire.

adjectiveHaving light; bright; clear; not dark or obscure.

adjectivePale or whitish in color; highly luminous and more or less deficient in chroma.

  • paleLight in color.

adjectiveServed with extra milk or cream.

  • whiteBright and colourless; reflecting equal quantities of all frequencies of visible light.

adjectiveHaving little weight as compared with bulk; of little density or specific gravity.

adjectiveLightly built; typically designed for speed or small loads.

adjectiveLow in fat, calories, alcohol, salt, etc.

  • liteLight in composition, notably low in fat, calories etc. Most commonly used commercially.
  • lo-cal(of food or drink) That contains fewer calories than normal.
  • low-alcoholOf an alcoholic beverage, having a lower alcohol content than normal.

adjectiveGentle; having little force or momentum.

adjectiveUnimportant, trivial, having little value or significance.

adjectiveFast; nimble.

verbTo find by chance.

verbTo alight; to land or come down.

nounElectromagnetic wave perceived by the eye.

  • visible lightThe part of the electromagnetic spectrum, between infrared and ultraviolet, that is visible to the human eye.

nounMore synonyms

  • luminanceThe amount of light that passes through, is emitted, or is reflected from a particular area, and falls within a given...
  • radiationThe shooting forth of anything from a point or surface, like diverging rays of light.

adjectiveMore synonyms

Opposite of light

verbTo start (a fire).

  • extinguishTo stop (fire, etc.) from burning; also, to stop (light, etc.) from shining; to put out, to quench.
  • put outTo turn off (light).
  • quenchTo extinguish or put out (as a fire or light).

nounMore antonyms

  • darknessThe state of being dark; lack of light; the absolute or comparative absence of light.
  • T-rayAn electromagnetic wave with a frequency intermediate between, and sharing the properties of, short radio waves and...
  • X-ray
  • alpha rayA stream of alpha particles: a single ray of alpha radiation.
  • beta rayA stream of beta particles (fast-moving electrons propagating through a gas or vacuum), such as emitted by a...
  • gamma rayVery high frequency (and therefore very high energy) electromagnetic radiation emitted as a consequence of...
  • infraredThe electromagnetic radiation of a wavelength longer than visible light, but shorter than microwave radiation, having a...
  • longwaveRadio having a wavelength greater than 1000 meters.
  • mediumwave
  • microwaveAn electromagnetic wave with wavelength between that of infrared light and radio waves.
  • radio waveElectromagnetic radiation having a wavelength between about .5 centimeters and 30,000 meters; used for the broadcasting...
  • shortwave
  • ultravioletUltraviolet colour.

adjectiveMore antonyms

  • cloudy
  • darkHaving an absolute or (more often) relative lack of light.
  • dim
  • dull
  • shadyOverspread with shade; sheltered from the glare of light or sultry heat.

adjectiveAntonym(s) of “of little weight”.

adjectiveAntonym(s) of “lightly-built”.

adjectiveAntonym(s) of “low in fat, calories, etc”.

adjectiveAntonym(s) of “having little force or momentum”.

  • forcefulCapable of either physical or coercive force; powerful.

adjectiveAntonym(s) of “having little value or significance”.

Meaning of light

  1. noun Electromagnetic radiation in the wavelength range visible to the human eye (about 400–750 nanometers): visible light.
  2. noun Electromagnetic radiation in the wavelength range visible to the human eye or in nearby ranges (infrared or ultraviolet radiation).
  3. noun Electromagnetic radiation of any wavelength.

Full definition of light

light in other languages

Questions about synonyms of light

What is another word for light?
Light has 87 synonyms on Word.ws, such as white, shiny, pale, sparkling, illuminated, radiant, luminous and incandescent.
What is the opposite of light?
The opposite of light is dark. Other antonyms of light are shady and burdensome.
What does light mean?
Light means electromagnetic radiation in the wavelength range visible to the human eye (about 400–750 nanometers): visible light.

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: light (page history and authors) and the entries of the words listed. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws grouped the synonyms and antonyms by meaning and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

Last updated:

Cite this page: “Synonyms of light.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/synonyms/light. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.