Synonyms

gleefully

American

[glee-fuhl-ee] / ˈgli fəl i /

adverb

with exultant, often mischievous joy or delight; merrily.

My little niece snapped a photo of her mama and gleefully showed us the image she just captured.

Other Word Forms

ungleefully adverb

Etymology

Origin of gleefully

First recorded in 1730–40; gleeful ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The ball bounced favourably for Darcy Graham after Thompson's charged down kick and he gleefully took full advantage, chipping the ball over Keenan before touching down ahead of Gibson-Park.

From BBC • Apr. 5, 2026

The lyrics breathe like literary miniatures, gleefully exploring social satire, the fantastic and macabre.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 10, 2026

Kevin Hart, LeBron James, Marshawn Lynch and Jamie Foxx are just a small sampling of Black celebrities who have since aligned with major online sportsbooks as ambassadors, gleefully appearing in ads for them.

From Salon • Feb. 8, 2026

The Patriots spent two decades gleefully bullying the Jets, led by Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 29, 2026

The old mouse winked at Matthias gleefully as he adjusted his glasses.

From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023