Definition Synonyms
Definition of lightning - Reverso English Dictionary
Noun
1.
weatherflash of light during a thunderstorm
- Lightning struck the tree during the storm.
2.
electricityTECH. electric discharge between clouds or to earthTECH.
- The lightning lit up the entire sky.
3.
figurativesudden and unexpected occurrence
- His decision came like lightning, totally unexpected..
Adjective
speedextremely quick or sudden
- The lightning decision took everyone by surprise..
Images of lightning
flash of light during a thunderstorm 
electric discharge between clouds or to earth
Expressions with lightning
💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.
extremely high speed or great rapidity
The news spread across the internet at lightning speed.
happening in an instant
Her lightning fast reflexes saved the day.
someone who acts or moves quickly
She finished the task like greased lightning.
person who attracts controversy or criticism
The outspoken politician became a lightning rod during the debates..
very quickly or at great speed
He finished the race as fast as lightning.
extremely quickly or fast
He finished the race faster than greased lightning.
say that rare bad events usually do not happen again
They said lightning doesn't hit twice after his accident.
unlikely event won't happen again
Don't worry, lightning doesn't strike twice.
bad things don't happen repeatedly
After the accident, he believed lightning never strikes twice.
quick session requiring rapid responses
The meeting concluded with a lightning round of questions.
brief visit lasting a very short time
The president made a lightning visit to the disaster area.
very quickly or suddenly, like lightning
He ran out of the room like a streak of lightning.
very quickly or fast
He finished the race like greased lightning.
very fast or rapid in movement
The cheetah is quick as lightning when chasing its prey.
happening or done very rapidly
The response was quicker than lightning.
product or creation exceptionally successful or impressive
Her latest novel is bottled lightning in the literary world.
capturing something powerful and elusive
The artist managed to catch lightning in a bottle with her latest masterpiece.
ability to respond rapidly
Her lightning reflexes allowed her to catch the falling glass.
illegally distilled whiskey known for high potency
He offered me a sip of his white lightning.
discharge of electricity in the sky
A bolt of lightning struck the tree.
flash of lightning in a visible form
The lightning bolt struck the tree, splitting it in two..
weather event with lightning and thunder
The lightning storm lit up the night sky.
event of lightning hitting the ground or object
The tree was damaged by a lightning strike.
hit by a lightning bolt
The tree was struck by lightning during the storm.
Origin of lightning
Old English, 'lihting' (light) + 'ning' (action)
Terms with lightning included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
weather
lightning flash seen as a white line
storm
loud sound from the sky after lightning
weather
storm with thunder, lightning, and rain
weather
storm with lightning and thunder
weather
extremely strong wind with thunder and lightning
weather
storm with lightning and thunder
natural phenomenon
flash of lightning with thunder
patron saint
saint known for protection against lightning
phenomenon
ball-shaped discharge of lightning
science
electromagnetic wave from lightning
phobia
abnormal fear of thunder and lightning
weather
rare type of lightning in the upper atmosphere
volcanic lightning
weather event with lightning in a volcanic plume
abr: Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II
fighter jet used by several countries
lightning-like
flashing like lightning
surprise
amazingly impressive or sudden like lightning
weather
flash or emit flashes like lightning
lightning-like
flashing like lightning
weather
flash of lightning in the sky
natural glass
glass formed by lightning melting sand or material
lightning brightness
looking like lightning or very bright like a flash
weather
relating to thunder or lightning phenomena
phobia
abnormal fear of thunder and lightning
abr: thunderstorm
storm with thunder and lightning
Examples of lightning in a sentence
We watched the lightning from the safety of our porch. The thunder followed the lightning closely. Lightning struck the old oak tree. The news hit him like lightning, leaving him speechless. Her response was like lightning, catching everyone off guard. With lightning speed, she finished the puzzle.
His lightning reflexes saved him from the accident.
View all translations of lightning
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:foudre, fulgurant, ...
- German:Blitz, blitzschnell, ...
- Italian:fulmine, fulmineo, ...
- Spanish:rayo, fulminante, ...
- Portuguese:relâmpago, fulminante, ...
- Chinese:闪电, 闪电般的, ...
- Japanese:稲妻, 電光石火の, ...
- Arabic:بَرْق, خاطِف, ...
- Hebrew:בָּרָק, בְּרָקִי, ...
- Russian:молния, молниеносный, ...
- Ukrainian:блискавка, блискавичний, ...
- Hindi:बिजली, बिजली जैसी, ...
icon to discover related terms: analogies, antonyms, common collocates, words with same roots, umbrella terms… Try with happening or hunch.
icon next to the first example to see two additional options and learn to use new vocabulary naturally.
icon to save words you want to revisit. You can also save a specific meaning by clicking on the