heartily
Americanadverb
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in a hearty manner; cordially.
He was greeted heartily.
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He sympathized heartily with their plight.
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without restraint; exuberantly; vigorously.
They laughed heartily.
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with a hearty appetite.
The campers ate heartily.
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I'm heartily sick of your complaining.
adverb
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thoroughly or vigorously
to eat heartily
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in a sincere manner
he congratulated me heartily on my promotion
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of heartily
First recorded in 1250–1300, heartily is from the Middle English word hertili; see hearty, -ly
Explanation
Doing something heartily means you do it with enthusiasm. Are you ecstatic to see your best friend after a summer apart? Don't just pat her on the back — hug her heartily! When you eat heartily, you show obvious enjoyment and gusto for your food, and when you laugh heartily, you don't hold back. This enthusiastic adverb comes from hearty, which has heart at its center. So if you put your whole heart into doing something, feel free to say you do it heartily.
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.
“It was kind of weird the way we, like, hype up each other,” Verse said, laughing heartily.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 27, 2025
To underscore that point, Tarabay heartily interjects here with, “HELL no!”
From Salon • Dec. 7, 2025
These were heartily applauded in the plenary halls – but their legal standing is uncertain.
From BBC • Nov. 22, 2025
It’s hard to guess whether Mr. Xi would laugh more heartily about this fiasco if he knew these allegations are true or if he knew they aren’t.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 23, 2025
She poked me in the ribs and laughed heartily at her own joke.
From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
