THE IDIOM COLLECTION LEARN & PRACTISE
Make light of
Understand the meaning. See it in context. Make it yours.
01 / UNDERSTAND
Meaning in plain English
To treat something serious as if it is unimportant or not a problem.
02 / SEE IT IN CONTEXT
The expression in a sentence
- Please do not make light of her concerns about the workload.
03 / CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING
Quick idiom quiz
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Can you recall the expression?
Complete the example using the expression from this lesson.
Please do not ________ her concerns about the workload.
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Make light of — To treat something serious as if it is unimportant or not a problem.
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Make it yours
Write one sentence using “Make light of” about your own life.
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Does your sentence match this meaning?
To treat something serious as if it is unimportant or not a problem.
Compare: Please do not make light of her concerns about the workload.
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More ways to understand and use it
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When to use it
Use it when someone downplays a concern, sometimes through humour. It can be critical if another person’s problem is dismissed.
More examples in context
- He made light of the delay, although it had caused real problems.
- I tried to make light of my mistake, but I still needed to correct it.
Usage note
Follow of with a noun or an -ing form. “Make light work of” means do something easily, which is a different expression.
A short conversation
A: It was only a small joke about the missed deadline.
B: Let us not make light of it. The delay affected the whole team.
A: You are right; we should address it.
One more practice question
Which response makes light of a problem?
A. Joking that a serious problem does not matter.
B. Acknowledging the problem and treating it seriously.
Check your answer
A. The response downplays the seriousness of the issue.
Related lessons
Meaning and usage checked against Cambridge Dictionary. Explanations, examples and conversation are original.