Quick answer: Lightning (no middle E) is a noun meaning the flash of bright light produced by a thunderstorm: A bolt of lightning lit up the sky. Lightening (with a middle E) is the present participle of the verb to lighten, meaning to make or become lighter in weight, colour, or mood: The sky was lightening at dawn. Memory trick: lighten + ing = lightening; drop the middle E and you get lightning, the storm flash. For a fuller definition, see the Cambridge Dictionary entry for ‘lightning’.
Comparison Table
| Word | Part of Speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| lightning | noun (also adjective) | the flash of bright light produced by a thunderstorm, caused by an electrical discharge | Lightning struck the old oak tree. |
| lightening | verb (present participle of "lighten") | making or becoming lighter in weight, colour, brightness, or mood | The sky was lightening as dawn approached. |
Using Lightning (Noun)
Lightning is the noun for the sudden, bright flash of light in the sky that comes from an electrical discharge during a thunderstorm, usually followed by thunder. It has no middle "e" — a detail that trips up many writers, since the related verb "lighten" clearly does contain one. Lightning is also frequently used as an adjective meaning extremely fast.
Lightning struck the old oak tree in the storm last night.
We counted the seconds between the lightning and the thunder.
The sprinter reacted with lightning speed off the blocks.
A lightning bolt split the sky in two over the mountains.
The news spread through the office at lightning pace.
Common Collocations with Lightning
- lightning bolt / lightning strike
- thunder and lightning
- lightning speed / lightning fast (extremely quick)
- lightning rod (a device that protects buildings from lightning strikes)
Using Lightening (Verb Form)
Lightening is the -ing form (present participle or gerund) of the verb to lighten, which means to make or become lighter — whether in weight, colour, brightness, or emotional mood. As this guide to gerunds and -ing forms explains, adding "-ing" to a base verb like "lighten" creates a participle that can function as part of a continuous verb tense or as a noun.
The sky was lightening gradually as dawn approached.
She is lightening the load before the long hike.
The stylist recommended lightening my hair by two shades.
His joke succeeded in lightening the mood in the room.
Painting the walls white had the effect of lightening the whole space.
Other Forms of "Lighten"
- lighten (base form): Please lighten your backpack before the trek.
- lightened (past tense/participle): The room lightened as the curtains were opened.
- lightens (third-person singular): A good laugh always lightens the mood.
Memory Trick
Think of the base verb first: lighten (to make lighter) + -ing = lighten-ing. Keep every letter of "lighten" and simply add "-ing" — that spells lightening. The storm word, lightning, is shorter: it drops the middle "e" entirely. A simple check: if you can replace the word with "getting lighter," you need lightening (with the extra e). If you mean a flash from the sky, you need lightning (no middle e).
Common Mistakes
✗ A bolt of lightening struck the tower.
✓ A bolt of lightning struck the tower.
✗ The hairdresser is lightning my hair colour.
✓ The hairdresser is lightening my hair colour.
✗ He answered with lightening speed.
✓ He answered with lightning speed.
✗ The storm brought thunder and lighting.
✓ The storm brought thunder and lightning.
Quick Check: Lightning or Lightening?
Four questions — choose the correct word for each sentence.
1. “A bolt of ___ struck the tree.”
2. “The sky was ___ as dawn approached.”
3. “He answered with ___ speed.”
4. Which word contains all the letters of "lighten"?
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between lightning and lightening?
Lightning (no middle "e") is a noun describing the flash of bright light produced by a thunderstorm: "Lightning struck the tower." Lightening (with a middle "e") is the -ing form of the verb "to lighten," meaning to make or become lighter in weight, colour, or mood: "The sky was lightening at dawn." The two words are pronounced almost identically, but their spelling and meaning are completely different.
Why doesn't "lightning" have a middle "e"?
Historically, "lightning" developed as a contraction of "lightening" (the flashing or brightening of the sky), and over time the middle "e" was dropped from the noun for the storm phenomenon while it was kept in the verb form "lightening." Today the two spellings are simply treated as separate, unrelated-looking words, even though they share a common root in "light."
How can I remember which spelling to use?
Start from the base verb "lighten" (to make lighter). Add "-ing" without removing any letters and you get "lightening" — the verb form. The storm word, "lightning," is the shorter one — it drops the middle "e." A quick test: if you could replace the word with "getting lighter" or "making lighter," you need "lightening." If you mean a flash of light in the sky, you need "lightning."
Is "lightning" ever used as an adjective?
Yes. "Lightning" is commonly used as an adjective meaning extremely fast: "a lightning reaction," "lightning speed," "a lightning decision." This usage draws on the idea that lightning appears and disappears almost instantly. It is always spelled without the middle "e," just like the noun form.
What does "lightening the load" mean?
"Lightening the load" means making a burden lighter — literally reducing physical weight (such as items in a backpack) or figuratively reducing stress, responsibility, or work: "She hired an assistant to lighten the load at work." This phrase always uses "lightening," the verb form, because it describes the action of making something less heavy.
Can "lightening" refer to skin or hair colour?
Yes. "Lightening" is frequently used in beauty and cosmetics contexts to describe making hair or skin appear paler or brighter: "a hair-lightening treatment," "skin-lightening cream." In every case, this is the verb "lighten" plus "-ing," describing a change toward a lighter shade, not the storm phenomenon.
Is "lightning bug" the correct term for a firefly?
Yes — "lightning bug" is a common, especially North American, informal name for a firefly, referring to the insect's brief flashes of light that resemble tiny bolts of lightning. It is always spelled "lightning" (no middle "e"), since it refers to the flash of light, not the process of becoming lighter.
What part of speech is "lightning"?
"Lightning" is primarily a noun ("Lightning struck the barn") but is also very commonly used as an adjective ("lightning speed," "a lightning strike"). It is not a verb — there is no verb "to lightning." If you need a verb related to storms and flashes of light, you would use "flash" or "strike," not "lightning."
What part of speech is "lightening"?
"Lightening" is the present participle (the -ing form) of the verb "to lighten." It can function as part of a continuous verb tense ("The sky is lightening"), as a gerund noun ("Lightening her hair took hours"), or as a present participle adjective ("a lightening sky"). It is always derived from the verb "lighten," never from the noun "lightning."
Are lightning and lightening pronounced the same?
They are pronounced very similarly, which is exactly why writers confuse them so often. "Lightning" is typically pronounced as two syllables, /ˈlaɪt.nɪŋ/, while "lightening" is often pronounced as three syllables, /ˈlaɪt.ən.ɪŋ/, though in fast, casual speech the middle syllable can be reduced almost to nothing, making the two words sound nearly identical. Spelling is therefore the only reliable way to distinguish them in writing.