happily
Americanadverb
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in a happy manner; with pleasure.
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by good fortune; providentially; luckily.
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felicitously; appropriately; aptly.
a happily turned phrase.
Other Word Forms
- overhappily adverb
Etymology
Origin of happily
A Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; see origin at happy, -ly
Explanation
Do something happily and you'll be cheerful and lighthearted. It can lift your spirits just to hear your friend whistling happily as she walks down the sidewalk with a smile on her face. If you're happy to do something, you'll do it happily. Most of us will happily finish that last piece of cake or happily cuddle a tiny puppy. A second meaning of this adverb is "fortunately," so you could say, "Happily, I shut the front door before your cat got out!" This definition dates from the late 14th century — earlier, people used happily to mean "accidentally." And of course the very happiest stories end with "they lived happily ever after."
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.
"I'd happily walk around with you in sandals right now," she tells BBC Sport at her running club, where she has just been given a hero's welcome.
From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026
Most of the time, they happily forwarded me, an annoying patient, on to the person in charge.
From Slate • Apr. 25, 2026
The jury takes part in the spectacle, happily joshing with the defense lawyers.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026
“This is it. We are happily done with four. She is the perfect addition.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026
I can only imagine what sort of predicament you must have been in, and I do hope that things have worked out happily for you and yours.
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
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.
