1
a
: in a fortunate manner
b
: as it fortunately happens
happily, some boyhood pleasures don't change—
P. A. Witteman
P. A. Witteman2
archaic
: by chance
3
: in a happy manner or state
4
: in an adequate or fitting manner : successfully
Synonyms
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
That's a deal any Allure beauty editor would happily sign up for.
—Anamaria Glavan, Allure, 19 Nov. 2023
Sharing enthusiasm is the far more gratifying (and, happily, more frequent) part of the job.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 17 Nov. 2023
But if the Netflix drama was a blushing bride dreaming of happily ever after, The Buccaneers might be her worldlier cousin — more skeptical and more pragmatic, but with an intriguing sharpness that feels all her own.
—Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Nov. 2023
Comer wore her smoky eye on the red carpet, but happily for the rest of us, the look is the perfect way to segue from the office to after-dark activities.
—Georgia Day, Vogue, 7 Nov. 2023
Put them in dire straits, Chabon seems to be saying, and Jews will descend to the level of their enemies — and the U.S. government will happily back them.
—Jack Butler, National Review, 4 Nov. 2023
Whether true Tifosi might happily trade that level of exclusivity for Ferrari’s iconic red remains a question that perhaps the Romans International car can answer.
—Michael Van Runkle, Robb Report, 3 Nov. 2023
Ultimately, the two achieve happily stable monogamy, marry and move to the suburbs.
—Matt Stevens, New York Times, 30 Oct. 2023
For most entertainment and sports companies, that means coming together to deliver a product so good that nine out of 10 people choose to purchase it and happily devour it daily.
—Jason Kilar, Variety, 26 Oct. 2023
See More
Anamaria Glavan, Allure, 19 Nov. 2023
Sharing enthusiasm is the far more gratifying (and, happily, more frequent) part of the job.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 17 Nov. 2023
But if the Netflix drama was a blushing bride dreaming of happily ever after, The Buccaneers might be her worldlier cousin — more skeptical and more pragmatic, but with an intriguing sharpness that feels all her own.
—Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Nov. 2023
Comer wore her smoky eye on the red carpet, but happily for the rest of us, the look is the perfect way to segue from the office to after-dark activities.
—Georgia Day, Vogue, 7 Nov. 2023
Put them in dire straits, Chabon seems to be saying, and Jews will descend to the level of their enemies — and the U.S. government will happily back them.
—Jack Butler, National Review, 4 Nov. 2023
Whether true Tifosi might happily trade that level of exclusivity for Ferrari’s iconic red remains a question that perhaps the Romans International car can answer.
—Michael Van Runkle, Robb Report, 3 Nov. 2023
Ultimately, the two achieve happily stable monogamy, marry and move to the suburbs.
—Matt Stevens, New York Times, 30 Oct. 2023
For most entertainment and sports companies, that means coming together to deliver a product so good that nine out of 10 people choose to purchase it and happily devour it daily.
—Jason Kilar, Variety, 26 Oct. 2023
See More
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
Phrases Containing happily
Articles Related to happily
Dictionary Entries Near happily
Cite this Entry
“Happily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/happily. Accessed 4 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
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
More from Merriam-Webster on happily
Nglish: Translation of happily for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of happily for Arabic Speakers
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