1
: the flashing of light produced by a discharge of atmospheric electricity
also
: the discharge itself
2
: a sudden stroke of fortune
candidates … hoping for real lightning to strike—
Time
Time
: having or moving with or as if with the speed and suddenness of lightning
a lightning assault
Synonyms
Examples of lightning in a Sentence
Adjective
thoughts moving at lightning speed
he made a lightning dash for the goal
Recent Examples on the Web
Brady Knox, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 11 Dec. 2024
On Sunday, Syria's army command informed officers that Assad's rule had come to an end following a lightning rebel offensive.
—Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
Dallas News, 17 Oct. 2022
As art, the districts are a whimsical collection of fire-breathing dragons, lightning bolts and doodlebugs.
—Dallas News, 3 Jan. 2023
See all Example Sentences for lightning 
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Noun
However, its forces are made up of jihadist militants, who were shown on video committing a slew of atrocities, including beheadings and the desecration of corpses during their lightning offensive that led to Assad’s collapse.
—Brady Knox, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 11 Dec. 2024
On Sunday, Syria's army command informed officers that Assad's rule had come to an end following a lightning rebel offensive.
—Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
Verb
The bar also has a basketball court — put in after a tree was struck by lightning and fell over into the parking lot.
—Dallas News, 17 Oct. 2022
As art, the districts are a whimsical collection of fire-breathing dragons, lightning bolts and doodlebugs.
—Dallas News, 3 Jan. 2023
See all Example Sentences for lightning
Dictionary Entries Near lightning
Cite this Entry
“Lightning.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lightning. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
lightning
1 of 2 noun
light·ning
ˈlīt-niŋ 
: the flashing of light produced by a discharge of atmospheric electricity from one cloud to another or between a cloud and the earth
also
: the discharge itself
lightning
2 of 2 adjective
: moving or done with or as if with the speed of lightning
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