1
a
: in a fortunate manner
b
: as it fortunately happens
happily, some boyhood pleasures don't change—
P. A. Witteman
P. A. Witteman2
archaic
: by chance
3
: in a happy manner or state
4
: in an adequate or fitting manner : successfully
Examples of happily in a Sentence
They have been happily married for 12 years.
They lived happily ever after.
We happily accept credit cards.
Recent Examples on the Web
However, many will happily sell a list of potential targets to the highest bidder, and your name is likely on this list already.
—Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 2 Mar. 2025
But once a Marshmallow, always a Marshmallow. Loyal fans watched Veronica and her crew grow up on screen, and would happily welcome them back if another season were in the cards.
—Sezin Koehler, EW.com, 1 Mar. 2025
The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth stepped forward and offered its single screen theater, to which the festival happily agreed.
—Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Feb. 2025
Within 15 minutes, the bore rolled in, covering the riverbed upon which the birds had been happily perched at low tide.
—Melanie Stetson Freeman, The Christian Science Monitor, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for happily
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Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 2 Mar. 2025
But once a Marshmallow, always a Marshmallow. Loyal fans watched Veronica and her crew grow up on screen, and would happily welcome them back if another season were in the cards.
—Sezin Koehler, EW.com, 1 Mar. 2025
The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth stepped forward and offered its single screen theater, to which the festival happily agreed.
—Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Feb. 2025
Within 15 minutes, the bore rolled in, covering the riverbed upon which the birds had been happily perched at low tide.
—Melanie Stetson Freeman, The Christian Science Monitor, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for happily
Articles Related to happily
Cite this Entry
“Happily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/happily. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
happily
adverb
hap·pi·ly
ˈhap-ə-lē 
1
: in a fortunate or lucky manner
happily, no one was injured
2
: in a happy manner or state
lived happily ever after
3
: in a fitting, effective, or successful manner
remarks happily worded
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