as in cheerfully
in a cheerful or happy manner
our coworker merrily announced that it was her birthday, so we felt obligated to treat her to lunch
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Recent Examples of merrily
The Ultra Music Festival merrily rolls along in its 26th year Friday through Sunday at Bayfront Park in downtown Miami.
—
Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
The sick humor of an inappropriately large insect thrashing on the bed gives way to the morbid humor of the new family of three proceeding merrily with their small lives.
—Christine Smallwood, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
At the time of the landmark rights deal, Levy’s sales team had spent the last two years merrily siphoning off marketing dollars traditionally earmarked for the broadcast giants.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 20 Mar. 2026
Most of the town’s residents, and many visitors, merrily took part, while the more prudent ones enjoyed the show from the safety of their balconies.
—ABC News, 23 Feb. 2026
White’s jaunty editing ensures the proceedings roll merrily along, and yet the richness of detail in every frame makes this feel longer than its lean 71-minute running time, but not at all in a negative way.
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 20 Feb. 2026
For most of the show, Bad Bunny had been mugging merrily to the camera, flaring his eyes and making hammy gestures to illustrate his words.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 9 Feb. 2026
Humans certainly aren’t going anywhere, so who’s to say that the mosquitoes won’t just keep feeding merrily on us regardless?
—Tom Hawking, Popular Science, 15 Jan. 2026
Commerce market editor Kate McGregor noted in her review that the tree did give off a fuller look, and was especially handsome once decked out with a merrily maximalist slate of ornaments from some of our favorite holiday hubs.
—Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 22 Dec. 2025
Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
The sick humor of an inappropriately large insect thrashing on the bed gives way to the morbid humor of the new family of three proceeding merrily with their small lives.
—Christine Smallwood, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
At the time of the landmark rights deal, Levy’s sales team had spent the last two years merrily siphoning off marketing dollars traditionally earmarked for the broadcast giants.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 20 Mar. 2026
Most of the town’s residents, and many visitors, merrily took part, while the more prudent ones enjoyed the show from the safety of their balconies.
—ABC News, 23 Feb. 2026
White’s jaunty editing ensures the proceedings roll merrily along, and yet the richness of detail in every frame makes this feel longer than its lean 71-minute running time, but not at all in a negative way.
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 20 Feb. 2026
For most of the show, Bad Bunny had been mugging merrily to the camera, flaring his eyes and making hammy gestures to illustrate his words.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 9 Feb. 2026
Humans certainly aren’t going anywhere, so who’s to say that the mosquitoes won’t just keep feeding merrily on us regardless?
—Tom Hawking, Popular Science, 15 Jan. 2026
Commerce market editor Kate McGregor noted in her review that the tree did give off a fuller look, and was especially handsome once decked out with a merrily maximalist slate of ornaments from some of our favorite holiday hubs.
—Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 22 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for merrily
Adverb
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In Atlanta, my hometown airport, cheerfully marketed as the world’s busiest, had descended into organized chaos.—
Bill Barrow,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Mar. 2026
-
In Atlanta, my hometown airport, cheerfully marketed as the world’s busiest, had descended into organized chaos.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
Adverb
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The special four-part event finds Malcolm happily in a relationship and as a father, but when his family tries to get back into the picture, chaos ensues.—
Rebecca Aizin,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
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The pinafore-style dress was in a twee ditsy print and flowed well past her knees, while a leather belt sat happily on her waist without exerting effort to cinch.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
9 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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First, find Copernicus shining brightly 10 degrees above the lunar equator, brightening the dark basaltic plains on the western lunar surface, and Tycho, which dominates the southern hemisphere of Earth's natural satellite around the full moon phase.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
3 Apr. 2026
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But much like other corals, those born in the darkness can be brightly colored.—
K. R. Callaway,
Scientific American,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Merrily.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/merrily. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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