Words of Positivity
Browse the A to Z index4,633 ENTRIES

Levity

n.joyful, resilientprofessional

What it means

A brief lightness of mood or humor within a serious setting.

Reach for it when naming tactful comic relief that eases strain without denying it

A touch of levity helped the rescue crew reset before the next call.

Choose between these

6
  • everyday

    humor

    the general capacity to amuse is meant

    not when Humor may dominate a scene rather than merely lighten it.

  • warm

    lightheartedness

    a carefree mood is welcome for its own sake

    not when Lightheartedness can seem insensitive inside genuine crisis.

  • warm

    playfulness

    creative, teasing energy is the positive quality

    not when Playfulness may continue where a momentary easing is needed.

  • professional

    comic relief

    a funny moment interrupts sustained tension

    not when Comic relief belongs more naturally to narrative or performance.

  • formal

    wit

    clever language produces the lightness

    not when Wit describes the means, not the relieved mood.

  • literary

    mirth

    open festive amusement suits an elevated style

    not when Mirth is stronger and less restrained than levity.

Said against

3
  • solemnity
  • gravity
  • gloom

It naturally appears in

3
  • moment of levity

    A moment of levity released the tension in the waiting room.

  • welcome levity

    The host's gentle joke brought welcome levity after a dense lecture.

  • touch of levity

    A touch of levity made the safety lesson easier to remember.

Where this comes from

The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.