Entry Word: gaily

Function: adverb

Meaning:

also gayly

1 in a cheerful or happy manner <we sat around the table, gaily teasing each other and laughing about the good old days>

Synonyms cheerfully, happily, heartily, jocosely, jovially, merrily, mirthfully

Related Words blithely, blithesomely, breezily, brightly, buoyantly; cheerily, gladly, gladsomely, sanguinely, sunnily; good-humoredly, good-naturedly

Near Antonyms abjectly, dejectedly, despondently, disconsolately, dispiritedly, wretchedly; dolefully, dolorously, forlornly, mournfully, plaintively, sorrowfully; dourly, glumly, sternly, sulkily, sullenly; dismally, drearily, gloomily

Antonyms bleakly, cheerlessly, darkly, heavily, miserably, morosely, unhappily

2 in a quick and spirited manner <children gaily running to the buses on the last day of school>

Synonyms animatedly, animately, exuberantly, high-spiritedly, jauntily, pertly, sprightly, trippingly

Related Words friskily, playfully, skittishly, sportively; briskly, crisply, snappily, springily; breezily, cockishly; allegro

Near Antonyms idly, indolently, lazily, slothfully; heavily, inactively, listlessly

Antonyms dully, inanimately, sluggishly, tardily

3 in a bright and showy way <the Mexican dancers were gaily dressed in lavish, bright costumes>

Synonyms dashingly, flamboyantly, flashily, jauntily, rakishly, swankily

Related Words garishly, gaudily, loud, loudly, ostentatiously; fancily, gallantly, ornately; nattily, neatly, smartly; conspicuously, luridly, spectacularly, strikingly; gorgeously, splendidly

Near Antonyms inconspicuously, unobtrusively, unpretentiously; chastely, demurely, homely, modestly; plainly, simply; colorlessly, dirtily, drably, dully; bleakly, severely, somberly

Antonyms conservatively, plain, quietly