happily

adverb

hap·​pi·​ly ˈha-pə-lē How to pronounce happily (audio)
1
a
: in a fortunate manner
b
: as it fortunately happens
happily, some boyhood pleasures don't changeP. A. Witteman
2
archaic : by chance
3
: in a happy manner or state
4
: in an adequate or fitting manner : successfully

Examples of happily in a Sentence

They have been happily married for 12 years. They lived happily ever after. We happily accept credit cards.
Recent Examples on the Web Joy Randolph and Emma Stone happily imbibe and host Jimmy Kimmel has celebs take a shot of Tequila Don Julio during the show. Stephanie Sengwe, Peoplemag, 11 Mar. 2024 Arce is happily married to his wife of 13 years, Cynthia Vega, and loves spending time with his two children, Scarlett and André. The family is asking for the community's support for what is expected to be a lengthy treatment and recovery process. Rafael Carranza, The Arizona Republic, 8 Mar. 2024 Pickleball and tennis can live very happily in the same sandbox. Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2024 Jonathan speaks of expecting a diverse clientele in the restaurant’s first year but being happily surprised that Dominicans drive from all over the region, grateful and nostalgic for the smells and tastes. Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2024 According to Wilks, Hamm and Osceola ordered a mint chocolate chip frozen custard with KitKat and happily gave a name for the order. Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Mar. 2024 Haley happily obliged and jumped onto her mom’s lap, smiling from ear to ear. Charna Flam, Peoplemag, 28 Feb. 2024 No, what prompted Villaraigosa to happily reminisce for a good hour was his success as a peacemaker in the eternal civil war that’s politics on the Eastside. Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2024 Successfully getting kids out of the house with shoes and jackets on, minimizing shouting, and embracing mistakes are necessary parts of living happily with kids. Kate Cray, The Atlantic, 27 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'happily.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of happily was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near happily

Cite this Entry

“Happily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/happily. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

happily

adverb
hap·​pi·​ly ˈhap-ə-lē How to pronounce happily (audio)
1
: in a fortunate or lucky manner
happily, no one was injured
2
: in a happy manner or state
lived happily ever after
3
: in a fitting, effective, or successful manner
remarks happily worded

More from Merriam-Webster on happily

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