as in bitterly
with feelings of bitterness or grief
an unhappily married couple being counseled by a professional
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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
But a Democratic victory in 2026 is not likely to end this cycle, in which majorities hate how both parties handle immigration and ping-pong unhappily between them.
—Conor Friedersdorf, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 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
One of the youngest of the MacKenzie brood (and often seen with sister Janet), Jocasta Cameron is sometimes callously honest, perpetually jealous of the attention Ellen gets, and unhappily married to an old man.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unhappily
Allison Schrager, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026
But a Democratic victory in 2026 is not likely to end this cycle, in which majorities hate how both parties handle immigration and ping-pong unhappily between them.
—Conor Friedersdorf, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 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
One of the youngest of the MacKenzie brood (and often seen with sister Janet), Jocasta Cameron is sometimes callously honest, perpetually jealous of the attention Ellen gets, and unhappily married to an old man.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unhappily
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unhappily
Adverb
-
Mary leaves four children, ages 10 to 17 — and relatives feuding so bitterly that the two families had to go to court to decide where Mary would be laid to rest and two separate memorial services were held.—
Jill Smolowe,
PEOPLE,
14 Apr. 2026
-
The strike was fought bitterly on both sides.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
At 49, the Dorchester, Massachusetts, native has joined the pantheon of celebrity investigative journalists, a sadly dwindling group.—
Julian Sancton,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Apr. 2026
-
But, sadly, Olivia didn't qualify.—
Cara Lynn Shultz,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
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
Adverb
-
Jude was painfully conscious of the despoiling of his creative talents.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
-
As a bare stage swiftly gets dressed in black curtains framing its sides, rumblings fester in the dance ensemble’s torsos and limbs; Danker’s music becomes increasingly driving, propulsive (and painfully loud—an issue that persists through most of the evening).—
Lauren Warnecke,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
For their part, Democratic leaders spoke mournfully of limits, of energy shortages, of national decline, of a crisis of confidence itself.—
Rosa Lyster,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
-
Based on the Dylan Thomas prose poem of the same name, published in 1952, the film lovingly and mournfully depicts the boyhood Christmastime of an old Welshman, tenderly and a tad mischievously embodied by Elliott.—
Sheldon Pearce,
New Yorker,
21 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unhappily.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unhappily. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
