1
as in cheerfully
in a cheerful or happy manner
happily accepted the invitation to dinner
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in properly
in a manner suitable for the occasion or purpose
one of those rare occasions on which business and pleasure happily mixed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of happily
And yet there Harry was in a large crowd with Meghan, who appeared to be happily soaking up all the attention.
—
Martha Ross, Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2025
When Barca hosted Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League group stages in September, Laporta and his counterpart Nasser Al-Khelaifi happily posed together for the cameras before lunch at the Catalan capital’s swish Via Veneto restaurant.
—Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
This is a deciduous vine that prefers a shady exposure, sips water, and will happily clamber up the branches of a native oak or any other tree.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 25 Oct. 2025
There’s kind of a false trope in the way most romantic movies or books are played at the end, which is happily ever after.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for happily
Martha Ross, Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2025
When Barca hosted Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League group stages in September, Laporta and his counterpart Nasser Al-Khelaifi happily posed together for the cameras before lunch at the Catalan capital’s swish Via Veneto restaurant.
—Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
This is a deciduous vine that prefers a shady exposure, sips water, and will happily clamber up the branches of a native oak or any other tree.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 25 Oct. 2025
There’s kind of a false trope in the way most romantic movies or books are played at the end, which is happily ever after.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for happily
Recent Examples of Synonyms for happily
Adverb
-
The hostess seemed to accept this quite cheerfully and, in fact, expect the mess.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Oct. 2025
-
No Mob boss, cheerfully decreeing that an inconvenient witness be rubbed out, could be more resolute.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
22 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
This all-in form of college sports accounting has been championed by economists who believe the siloed nature of many athletic departments force them to make financial decisions without properly weighing the campus-wide impact.—
Eben Novy-Williams,
Sportico.com,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Your body requires vitamins to function properly and maintain good health.—
Anna Giorgi,
Verywell Health,
4 Nov. 2025
Adverb
-
In 2023 and 2024, Biden correctly argued that price hikes were slowing.—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Before the fourth-down play unraveled, Love burned a timeout since the receivers weren’t aligned correctly.—
Matt Schneidman,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
Adverb
-
Divide household items by category, organize them into appropriately sized containers, add labels, and stack them onto shelves in a closet or cabinet that is easily reachable.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 Nov. 2025
-
The candidate looks appropriately humiliated to be shouted down by a group of peaceful citizens voicing reasonable opposition, but the stakes are low.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
29 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Happily.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/happily. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share