Meaning & use
light on one's feet
Last updated
Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
Able to move quickly and gracefully without heavy steps; nimble.
Grammar: Used after linking verbs like 'be', 'stay', or 'keep'. The possessive 'one's' changes to match the subject: 'I am light on my feet.'
Patterns
- be light on one's feet
- stay light on one's feet
- keep someone light on their feet
Despite his size, the boxer is surprisingly light on his feet.
She danced across the stage, light on her feet.
You need to be light on your feet to avoid the defender.
Common combinations
- surprisingly light on one's feet
- The big man is surprisingly light on his feet.
- stay light on one's feet
- In boxing, you must stay light on your feet.
- light on her feet
- The ballerina was light on her feet.
Synonyms and how they differ
- nimble
- Nimble means quick and neat in movement; it is an adjective that can describe a person or their movements, while 'light on one's feet' is a phrase used only after a linking verb.
- agile
- Agile means able to move quickly and easily; it is more formal and often used for athletes or dancers, while 'light on one's feet' is more conversational.
Opposites
Commonly confused: light on one's feet or light-footed?
light on one's feet vs light-footed
Light-footed is an adjective meaning the same as 'light on one's feet', but it is used before a noun (e.g., 'a light-footed dancer').
Practice
Which sentence uses 'light on one's feet' correctly?
Choose one answer.
The first option correctly uses the idiom to describe someone's nimble movement. The other options misuse the phrase by applying it to objects or using it with an infinitive of purpose.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “light on one's feet”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.