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.
Hastings laughed heartily when those words were read to him years back.
From BBC ● May 17, 2026
Mr. Hahn is a wry guide, but heartily appreciative of his fellow practitioners.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 22, 2026
“Hoecht’s not here right now,” Verse said, laughing heartily, “so I don’t feel like taking mine off. It might be in short sleeves like always. But shirtless…”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 15, 2026
To underscore that point, Tarabay heartily interjects here with, “HELL no!”
From Salon ● Dec. 7, 2025
We sat back, and he took a bite of plantain and blew steam out of his mouth, cackling heartily.
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
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.
