happily

adverb

hap·​pi·​ly ˈha-pə-lē 

1

a

: in a fortunate manner

It was happily the case that Mr. Crawley was not at home.

—Anthony Trollope

b

: as it fortunately happens

Happily, some boyhood pleasures don't change.

—P. A. Witteman

2

archaic : by chance

3

a

: in a happy manner or state

happily married

… was happily shoveling a plate of ackee … into his mouth …

—Zadie Smith

b

: in a very willing way

happily postponed the appointment

4

: in an adequate or fitting manner : successfully

Synonyms of happily

• cheerfully

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

But the same energy, enthusiasm and weirdness has happily haunted his art from the ’80s to today. —Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald, 19 Mar. 2026

His death was fast, a decline that took him from playing happily to undergoing chest compressions in the span of a few hours. —Emily Brindley health Reporter, Dallas Morning News, 19 Mar. 2026

Species like flightless parrot the kākāpō happily live, sleep and nest on the ground, for example. —Tom Page, CNN Money, 19 Mar. 2026

However, happily, most meaningful efforts, engagements, and pursuits involve profoundly more fulfilling and less harrowing change than moving. —Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

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

Phrases Containing happily

• lived happily ever after
• live happily ever after

Rhymes for happily

• unhappily

Kids Definition

happily

adverb

hap·​pi·​ly ˈhap-ə-lē 

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