# thankfully

/ˈθæŋkfəɫi/ (US) · /θˈæŋkfəli/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/thankfully
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. fortunately

adverb · CEFR B1

you use this to say you are glad or relieved about a situation.

For teachers: used as a sentence adverb to express the speaker's relief that a particular situation exists or has occurred.

- Thankfully, the rain stopped just before we started our walk in the park.
- Thankfully, the backup servers remained operational during the power cut, preventing any significant loss of client data.

Usage: Usually placed at the beginning of a sentence to modify the entire clause.

### 2. with gratitude

adverb · CEFR B2

in a way that shows you are grateful or giving thanks.

For teachers: in a thankful or appreciative manner; expressing gratitude through an action.

- She smiled thankfully at the stranger who helped her carry the heavy bags.
- The survivors looked thankfully toward the rescue team as they were finally pulled from the wreckage.

Usage: Typically follows the verb it modifies.

## Examples

- Thankfully, the rain stopped before the wedding started.
- The car was badly damaged in the accident, but thankfully no one was injured.
- Thankfully, the backup generators kicked in immediately after the primary power failure, preventing any loss of critical data during the storm.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.