Synonyms of unhappily

unhappily

adverb

ˌən-ˈha-pə-lē 

as in bitterly

with feelings of bitterness or grief

an unhappily married couple being counseled by a professional

Synonyms & Similar Words

• bitterly
• sadly
• sorrowfully
• painfully
• mournfully
• hard
• regretfully
• resentfully
• ruefully
• dolefully
• sharply
• woefully
• harshly
• lugubriously
• wretchedly
• grievously
• plaintively
• dolorously
• sorely
• severely
• agonizingly
• inconsolably
• wailfully
• hardly
• despairingly
• dejectedly
• dispiritedly
• cheerlessly
• disconsolately
• sullenly
• miserably
• despondently
• glumly
• distressfully
• abjectly
• forlornly
• morosely
• dismally
• drearily
• joylessly
• pessimistically
• gloomily
• darkly
• somberly
• dourly
• distressingly
• acutely
• keenly
• mirthlessly
• cruelly
• blackly
• poignantly
• ill
• downheartedly
• hurtfully
• crestfallenly
• rancorously
• piercingly
• low-spiritedly

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• happily
• joyfully
• blissfully
• joyously
• gladly
• cheerfully
• merrily
• gleefully
• delightedly
• gaily
• cheerily
• easily
• lightheartedly
• indifferently
• casually
• calmly
• lightly
• blithely
• unconcernedly
• stoically
• nonchalantly
• impassively
• dispassionately
• good-naturedly
• well
• mirthfully
• sunnily
• favorably
• rejoicingly
• blithesomely

Example Sentences

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