WordGarden.ioweightless
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /wˈeɪtləs/
US
- /ˈweɪtləs/
Meanings
Adjective
so light or airy that it seems to have no weight
having no apparent weight, especially in free fall or zero gravity
Beyond the definition
Imagine an astronaut drifting in space. That sense of not being pulled down is what it feels like to be weightless. The word describes something that seems to have no weight or that moves as if gravity is no longer acting on it. But it does not always have to be literal. A person can feel emotionally weightless after a moment of great relief, and a piece of writing or music can seem weightless if it feels light, soft, and free.
Think of the moment when a heavy burden is finally lifted from your shoulders. You might feel suddenly weightless, free from worry. The word can be used literally for people or objects in free fall or in space, and figuratively for a mood, a movement, or a style that feels light and unconstrained.
To be weightless means to have no feeling of weight, as if gravity has lost its hold on you. This is most famously linked with astronauts, who seem weightless while orbiting the Earth because they are in continuous free fall. The word can also describe something that feels as if it has almost no weight at all, especially when it moves lightly or seems to float.
The term is often used metaphorically to convey freedom, relief, or softness. Someone may feel weightless with happiness after hearing good news, or after a long period of stress finally ends. In art, music, dance, or writing, weightless can suggest a gentle, airy quality, something graceful and unforced rather than heavy or serious.
You might say, "She felt weightless with joy after receiving the good news," or "For a second on the roller coaster, he felt weightless." In scientific use, the word refers to the state of having no apparent weight. In everyday language, it often points to a feeling of lightness, ease, and freedom. It is a word that belongs both to physics and to the inner life, describing not only how bodies move, but also how moments can feel.
Examples
- 1
Space
In the space station, the astronauts looked almost weightless as they floated past the windows.
- 2
Water
In the pool, I feel weightless when I lie back and let the water hold me.
- 3
Skincare
This sunscreen feels weightless on the skin, even in hot weather.
- Phraseweightless on the skin
so light that you hardly notice it
- 4
Emotional relief
After I finally paid off my debts, I felt strangely weightless.
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- weightless in space
- feel weightless
- weightless environment
- weightless state
Word family
Explore
- zero gravity
- microgravity
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- weightlessadjective