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light has 60 distinct synonyms spread across 28 of its 48 senses. Each sense below keeps its own list, because a synonym belongs to a meaning and not to a word: swapping one sense's substitute into another sense's sentence is how a thesaurus makes writing worse. Its 2 recorded opposites are heavy, dark.
Counts are distinct word forms across every sense. A synonym that appears under three senses is counted once here and shown three times below, under each sense it belongs to.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
“a light load”
(used of color) having a relatively small amount of coloring agent
“light blue”
of the military or industry; using (or being) relatively small or light arms or equipment
“light infantry”
not great in degree or quantity or number
“a light sentence”
psychologically light; especially free from sadness or troubles
“a light heart”
characterized by or emitting light
“a room that is light when the shutters are open”
(used of vowels or syllables) pronounced with little or no stress
“a syllable that ends in a short vowel is a light syllable”
of little intensity or power or force
“the light touch of her fingers”
(physics, chemistry) not having atomic weight greater than average
“light water is ordinary water”
weak and likely to lose consciousness
“suddenly felt faint from the pain”
casual and unrestrained in sexual behavior
“her easy virtue”
(physics) electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation
“the light was filtered through a soft glass window”
make lighter or brighter
“This lamp lightens the room a bit”
7 of the 48 recorded senses carry no synonym, antonym or related term, so they are not shown above. Every sense, with its definition and examples, is on the full entry for light.
Synonyms, antonyms and the broader and narrower relations for light come from Princeton University’s WordNet. Full sources and licences.
any device serving as a source of illumination
“he stopped the car and turned off the lights”
a particular perspective or aspect of a situation
“although he saw it in a different light, he still did not understand”
the quality of being luminous; emitting or reflecting light
“its luminosity is measured relative to that of our sun”
an illuminated area
“he stepped into the light”
a condition of spiritual awareness; divine illumination
“follow God's light”
the visual effect of illumination on objects or scenes as created in pictures
“he could paint the lightest light and the darkest dark”
a person regarded very fondly
“the light of my life”
having abundant light or illumination
“they played as long as it was light”
mental understanding as an enlightening experience
“he finally saw the light”
merriment expressed by a brightness or gleam or animation of countenance
“he had a sparkle in his eye”
public awareness
“it brought the scandal to light”
a divine presence believed by Quakers to enlighten and guide the soul
a visual warning signal
“they saw the light of the beacon”