Lightening vs Lightning: Which One Do You Need?
Lightning is the flash in the sky. Lightening means making lighter.
Struck by lightning. Lightening the load.
The test that settles it
The weather word has no e in the middle. Everything else does, because it is built on the verb lighten.
“thunder and ___” → the weather, so lightning.
“___ her workload” → making it lighter, so lightening.
Lightning: the electrical flash
A noun, and also an adjective meaning extremely fast — lightning speed. No middle e.
The tree was struck by lightning.
A lightning strike lit the sky.
She replied with lightning speed.
Is it the sky, or a metaphor for speed? Then lightning.
Lightening: making lighter
The present participle of lighten, covering weight, colour and mood alike.
Lightening the colour with white.
The mood was lightening.
Measures aimed at lightening the burden.
Is something becoming lighter? Then lightening.
Side by side
| Lightening | Lightning |
|---|---|
| Making lighter | The flash |
| Has a middle e | No middle e |
| From the verb lighten | A noun in its own right |
| Lightening the mood | Forked lightning |
The exception
Lightening is also the medical term for the baby dropping lower in the pelvis before birth. Same spelling as the everyday word, and the same idea — the mother feels lighter.
Where people get it wrong
| Incorrect | Correct | Why |
|---|---|---|
| a bolt of lightening | a bolt of lightning | The weather. |
| lightning her hair | lightening her hair | Making it lighter. |
| lightening fast | lightning fast | The speed metaphor. |
| a lightening conductor | a lightning conductor | It protects against strikes. |
Practice — choose the right word, then check yourself.
- The storm brought thunder and ___.
- She is ___ the sauce with cream.
- He reacted with ___ reflexes.
- The news had the effect of ___ the atmosphere.
- Fit a ___ rod to the roof.
Show the answers
1. lightning 2. lightening 3. lightning 4. lightening 5. lightning
Frequently asked
Which is written wrongly more often?
Lightening for the weather word. The extra e looks natural because most -ing forms keep it.
Why does lightning lose the e?
It was once lightening, and the shortened form split off as a separate noun in the sixteenth century.
More words people confuse
