variants
also gayly
1
as in cheerfully
in a cheerful or happy manner
we sat around the table, gaily teasing each other and laughing about the good old days
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lively
in a quick and spirited manner
children gaily running to the buses on the last day of school
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in brightly
in a manner that is colorful and tends to arouse gaiety
the Mexican dancers were gaily dressed in lavish, bright costumes
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gaily
The butterflies enter first, quivering gaily atop their sticks.
—
Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2023
Keep us gaily making pins!
—Kim Phillips-Fein, The New Republic, 27 Feb. 2023
With the Meyerson gaily festooned for the holiday season, there were lighting effects and some projections.
—Dallas News, 26 Nov. 2022
Peer into their forbidding black hoods and gaily stitched pieces of hot-pink woolen felt inside invite unexpected visual caresses.
—Christopher Knightart Critic, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2022
See All Example Sentences for gaily
Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2023
Keep us gaily making pins!
—Kim Phillips-Fein, The New Republic, 27 Feb. 2023
With the Meyerson gaily festooned for the holiday season, there were lighting effects and some projections.
—Dallas News, 26 Nov. 2022
Peer into their forbidding black hoods and gaily stitched pieces of hot-pink woolen felt inside invite unexpected visual caresses.
—Christopher Knightart Critic, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2022
See All Example Sentences for gaily
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gaily
Adverb
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The hostess seemed to accept this quite cheerfully and, in fact, expect the mess.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Oct. 2025
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No Mob boss, cheerfully decreeing that an inconvenient witness be rubbed out, could be more resolute.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
22 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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His disdain for Christmas is no match for visits from enchanting ghosts, a lively ensemble of characters, and the music of the season.—
Kirby Adams,
Louisville Courier Journal,
15 Sep. 2025
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Music comes through with clean highs and enough bass to keep things lively at everyday listening levels.—
Shubham Yewale,
PC Magazine,
12 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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Amid the sea of handmade signs, American flags waved brightly in the morning sun.—
Claire Heddles,
Miami Herald,
18 Oct. 2025
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At just 51 years old, D’Angelo joined the ranks of many Black luminaries who shined brightly but not long.—
Vann R. Newkirk II,
The Atlantic,
18 Oct. 2025
Adverb
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The combo is a winning recipe that has kept this neighborhood favorite happily busy since 1993.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
17 Oct. 2025
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Barrymore happily sniffed both Anderson and Mathews’ feet — which were both deemed to be scentless, thank you very much — during a discussion about their now-viral foot footage on Friday’s episode of The Drew Barrymore Show.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
17 Oct. 2025
Adverb
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Maybe that’s a delicate dance even for Drinkwitz, who invoked the Alabama game several times but semi-playfully chided the media for relevant questions about the stuff that plainly needs to be shored up.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
15 Oct. 2025
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Even so, Justin playfully rejected his mom’s recent public prayer for his wellbeing.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
10 Oct. 2025
Adverb
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A bit further from the wreckage was a leather purse, jacket and a small pair of brown heeled boots that laid neatly next to a broken and bloody plastic chair.—
Aaron Valdez,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
18 Oct. 2025
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The agreement coincided neatly with the 10th anniversary of her brand.—
Justin Fenner,
Robb Report,
18 Oct. 2025
Adverb
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Shot in a colorfully naturalistic style by Irina Lubtchansky (My Golden Days), the film occasionally switches to what looks like Super 8mm, capturing the action more intimately and playfully.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Aug. 2025
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One expert, reflecting on personal experience, put it more colorfully.—
George Calhoun,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Adverb
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The song's interplay between choir and orchestra is buoyantly euphoric, opening a door to bolder, more intentionally progressive and soulful sounds in the country's mainstream.—
Marcus K. Dowling,
The Tennessean,
2 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gaily.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gaily. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
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