Lightening vs. Lightning: What's the Difference?
Distinguish lightening, the act of becoming lighter, from lightning, the electrical flash in a storm, using spelling clues, examples, a quiz, and FAQs.
Lightening is the present participle of lighten and means making something lighter in color, weight, mood, or intensity. Lightning is the electrical flash produced during a storm. Lightening has an extra e because it comes from lighten; lightning drops that syllable and names the weather event.
Working with a longer passage? Use our free AI text summarizer to turn it into a focused overview, then return here to check the wording.
At 3:10 p.m., a weather alert warns of “heavy rain and lightening.” The forecast concerns an electrical storm, not something becoming lighter, so the correct noun is lightning.
Lightening vs. Lightning at a glance
| Word | Typical role | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| lightening | Verb form or gerund | making or becoming lighter | The sky is lightening as sunrise approaches. |
| lightning | Noun or attributive noun | a sudden electrical discharge in the atmosphere | Lightning struck a tree near the road. |
How to use lightening
Lightening comes from the verb lighten. It can describe reduced color, weight, mood, burden, or intensity: lightening hair, lightening a load, or lightening the atmosphere. Its extra syllable is usually audible in careful speech.
The sky is lightening as sunrise approaches.
How to use lightning
Lightning names the visible electrical event in a thunderstorm. It can modify another noun in lightning strike, lightning rod, and lightning warning. Figuratively, it can describe extreme speed, as in lightning-fast.
Lightning struck a tree near the road.
Rules that make the choice easier
Use lightening for change
If something becomes lighter or less serious, use the form built from lighten.
Use lightning for storms
Thunder, clouds, strikes, flashes, and rods point to lightning without the extra e.
Listen for the syllable
Lightening commonly has three syllables; lightning usually has two.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Incorrect weather term: a lightening strike. Correct: a lightning strike.
- Incorrect change: lightning the load. Correct: lightening the load.
- Do not rely only on spellcheck; both forms are real words.
Quick practice
1. A flash of ___ crossed the sky.
Answer: lightning
2. The new color is ___ the room.
Answer: lightening
3. Which word comes from lighten?
Answer: lightening
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between lightening and lightning?
Lightening means becoming lighter; lightning is the electrical weather event.
Is it lightning strike or lightening strike?
The correct phrase is lightning strike.
Why does lightening have an extra e?
It is formed from the verb lighten plus -ing.
How are the words pronounced?
Lightening usually has three syllables; lightning usually has two.