thankfully
Britishadverb
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showing gratitude or appreciation
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informal fortunately
thankfully she was not injured
Usage
The use of thankfully to mean fortunately was formerly considered incorrect by many people, but has now become acceptable in informal contexts
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.
This week we’ve thankfully seen little of him.
From Salon ● Aug. 28, 2026
Offerman trained for three months with bodybuilder Grant Roberts “to create the body of, thankfully, a former pro wrestler, so you don’t necessarily need terrific abs,” Offerman says.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
"A few days ago, a bear was roaming here in the village’s central square at dusk. Another animal injured a fellow villager, thankfully only lightly. We’re now afraid to leave our homes," Despas said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 9, 2026
Here, you are also surrounded by other children and adults who are neurodiverse - and, thankfully, other parents who understand.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
It drifted over a calm spot just beyond the waves, and, thankfully, no fires were burning nearby.
From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia
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.
