These two look almost identical, but one is a thing in the sky and the other is an action.
- Lightning is the bright flash you see in a storm. It is a noun.
- Lightening is lighten + -ing. It means making something lighter, in weight or in colour or in mood.
Lightning: the flash
We counted the seconds between the lightning and the thunder.
The lightning lit up the whole garden.
She ran lightning-fast to catch the bus.
You can also hear it in lightning bolt and lightning rod. In all of them, it is about the flash.
Lightening: making lighter
Dad is lightening the bag by taking out the books.
The paint is lightening as it dries.
A funny story is lightening the mood.
Look at the verb: lighten. When you add -ing, the E stays. That is why this one has three syllables, LY-tuh-ning, while lightning is said in two, LYT-ning.
Easy way to tell them apart
Ask: Is something being made lighter?
- Yes, there is an action? Use lightening.
- No, it is the flash in the sky? Use lightning.
💡 The OddLingo Trick
Lightning is quick, so it drops the E. The flash is over in a moment, and the spelling is shorter too. If something is slowly lightening, it keeps the E, because it takes longer.
⚠️ Common mistakes
The flash has no extra E.
❌ We saw lightening over the hills.
✅ We saw lightning over the hills.
Making lighter keeps the E.
❌ She is lightning her backpack.
✅ She is lightening her backpack.
Where do they come from?
Both words are built from light. Lightning is recorded in late Old English, and Etymonline suggests it may come from a verb meaning "make bright", or from an Old English word for lighting. Lightening is simply the -ing form of lighten.