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

Within a few minutes, Hutchinson has his mobile out, happily flicking through the screensavers. — Paul Taylor, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026

Some children can watch an energetic cartoon and then happily move on to building with blocks or playing outside. — Tara Duncan, AJC.com, 3 Aug. 2026

At one point, the camera zooms in on the pup happily trotting across the hillside with its tail wagging after completing its impromptu mission. — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 2 Aug. 2026

Seeing your pup happily playing in the backyard or snoozing on the couch can provide reassurance for you without creating confusion for your dog. — Brittany Anas, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 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