happily

adverb

hap·​pi·​ly ˈha-pə-lē 

1

a

: in a fortunate manner

b

: as it fortunately happens

happily, some boyhood pleasures don't change

—P. A. Witteman

2

archaic : by chance

3

: in a happy manner or state

4

: in an adequate or fitting manner : successfully

Synonyms

• 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

The answer, happily, was this warm, personal film about a Brooklyn family in the seventies led by Delroy Lindo and Alfre Woodard. —Tim Grierson, Vulture, 16 Aug. 2025

The Black Keys, happily on tour again, demonstrate the links between the blues, garage rock and modern indie rocks with their sharp and effective power chord solos. —Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 16 Aug. 2025

Such a bland do-gooder can’t hold a candle to Slattery’s Leo, a man who happily self-identifies as a bully. —Alison Herman, Variety, 15 Aug. 2025

But they’ve been presented on X with a new gloss: Democrats, liberals, and leftists are enraged by pretty, mostly white young women who are dancing happily. —Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 15 Aug. 2025

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