gladly

American  

[glad-lee] / ˈglæd li /

adverb

1. with happiness, pleasure, or delight; joyfully.

   Thank you for your friendship, which I gladly accept.

2. willingly and readily.

   I will gladly die defending the honor of my fallen brothers.

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Etymology

Origin of gladly

glad ¹ ( def. ) + -ly

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Explanation

If you're more than willing to do something, you'll do it gladly, with enthusiasm. Most people will gladly accept free passes to an amusement park. You can offer something gladly: "I'll gladly give you a ride to the movies tonight." And you can also receive something gladly, with gratitude: "I gladly accept this award on behalf of all the fire jugglers that came before me!" Gladly comes from glad and its root, ghel-, which means "to shine," as in shining with happiness or being radiant with joy.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

gladly

If the centrality of his creations in films like “The 7th Voyage of Sinbad” and “The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms” didn’t prove that he was proud of his work, Harryhausen would gladly tell you himself.

From Salon ● Sep. 4, 2026

If you’re invested for a longer bull run, that is a gift you should gladly accept.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026

On a cloudy weekday morning last month, I visited San Juan Capistrano hoping to see the future of this country in a place gladly stuck in its past.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 4, 2026

"I would gladly subscribe to Meta One, but only if it genuinely offers unlimited access."

From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026

‘I will gladly go with you, if Legolas, my comrade, may ride beside us.’

From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien

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Related Words

• cheerfully
• cheerily
• cordially
• enthusiastically
• freely
• gleefully
• gratefully
• heartily
• readily
• warmly
• willingly

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