unhappily

adverb

ˌən-ˈha-pə-lē How to pronounce unhappily (audio)
Definition of unhappilynext
as in bitterly
with feelings of bitterness or grief an unhappily married couple being counseled by a professional

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 unhappily How many of my life decisions have been made in reaction to feeling unhappily married? — Liana Finck, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2026 Even at the elite level, some runners thrive under the long-term guidance of a coach, others seem to bounce unhappily from coach to coach, and a few—Frank Shorter, Patrick Sang, and Jakob Ingebrigtsen are notable examples—have mostly preferred to call their own shots. — Alex Hutchinson, Outside, 22 Mar. 2026 Even high productivity numbers may not be enough to pay the government’s debts, and there will be many people unhappily and under-employed. — Allison Schrager, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026 The film centers on Westley (Cary Elwes), a farmhand who goes on a noble quest to rescue his beloved Buttercup (Robin Wright) from the clutches of the loathsome Prince Humperdink (Chris Sarandon), to whom she's unhappily betrothed. — James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unhappily
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unhappily
  1. bitterly
  2. sadly
  3. sorrowfully
  4. painfully
  5. mournfully
Adverb
  • The race is widely seen as a referendum on Netanyahu's nearly unbroken 17-year rule, which had left Israelis bitterly divided on a host of issues even before the deadliest attack in the country's history.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The race was widely seen as a referendum on Netanyahu’s nearly unbroken 17-year rule, which had left Israelis bitterly divided on a host of issues even before the deadliest attack in the country’s history.
    — Tia Goldenberg, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of bitterly
Adverb
  • Lyle passed recently, sadly, but Lyle is the one responsible for the plant.
    — Andrew Buss, Vanity Fair, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Stephen Colbert’s tenure as host of The Late Show sadly ended when CBS cancelled the historic series in May, but his 11-season run was only possible thanks to a prior gig.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of sadly
Adverb
  • Tarun would tease her, and my mother would look sorrowfully toward Kavitha, as if the two of them now shared some womanly burden.
    — Madhuri Vijay, New Yorker, 16 Nov. 2025
Definition of sorrowfully
Adverb
  • The dinosaurs’ digestive systems are incapable of breaking down vegetable matter into anything other than a painfully gassy bloat.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Asia was flat to down today as the price of oil remained painfully high—above $114 per barrel.
    — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of painfully
Adverb
  • Fra Fee, as Joe, has a slightly harder task, since his role is almost entirely reactive; while Ethan bangs on mournfully about, effectively, the dangers of shagging your brother’s wife — well, who would have thought?
    — Damon Wise, Deadline, 13 Sep. 2026
  • Mayfield watched mournfully in his kitchen while the rest of the family sat in the living room with the big screen next to a Christmas tree.
    — John Romano, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 July 2026
Definition of mournfully

Browse Nearby Words

unhandy
unhappily
unhappiness
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Cite this Entry

“Unhappily.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unhappily. Accessed 2 Nov. 2026.

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