Word
happily
Phoneticshap·pi·ly, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈhæpəɫi/
UK/hˈæpɪli/
Adverb of manner
Definitions
01in a cheerful way
A2 · Elementary
adv. in a way that shows you are happy or enjoying yourself.
adv. in a joyful or cheerful manner. This manner adverb typically follows the verb it modifies.
“The children played happily in the garden all afternoon.”
“The toddler hummed happily to himself while arranging his wooden blocks into a precarious tower on the living room rug.”
Synonyms
02willingly
B1 · Intermediate
adv. to do something with pleasure or without any problems.
adv. with a willing or cooperative attitude; often used to indicate a lack of objection.
“I would happily help you with your homework if you need it.”
“The experienced diplomat happily accepted the invitation to mediate the dispute, seeing it as an opportunity to restore regional stability.”
Antonyms
03fortunately
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adv. used to say that something is lucky or a good result.
adv. by good fortune or luck. Often functions as a sentence adverb to comment on the success of a situation.
“Happily, the rain stopped just before the outdoor wedding began.”
“Happily, the structural damage was less severe than the engineers had initially feared, allowing the restoration project to stay within budget.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
04perhaps
C2 · Proficiency Archaic · Literary
adv. by chance or maybe.
adv. by chance or happenstance. This sense is restricted to older texts and formal literary contexts.
“If happily you should meet him on your travels, give him my regards.”
“Should you happily find the lost manuscript among those dusty archives, the discovery would rewrite the history of the entire period.”
Usage
In modern English, 'perhaps' or 'by chance' is used instead; this sense is almost exclusively found in 19th-century literature or earlier.
Synonyms
Etymology
From Middle English happily, happyly, happyliche, happylyche, equivalent to happy + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- A2 · ElementaryOxford
- Updated
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