variants
also gayly
1
as in cheerfully
in a cheerful or happy manner
we sat around the table, gaily teasing each other and laughing about the good old days
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lively
in a quick and spirited manner
children gaily running to the buses on the last day of school
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in brightly
in a manner that is colorful and tends to arouse gaiety
the Mexican dancers were gaily dressed in lavish, bright costumes
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gaily
The butterflies enter first, quivering gaily atop their sticks.
—
Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2023
Keep us gaily making pins!
—Kim Phillips-Fein, The New Republic, 27 Feb. 2023
With the Meyerson gaily festooned for the holiday season, there were lighting effects and some projections.
—Dallas News, 26 Nov. 2022
Peer into their forbidding black hoods and gaily stitched pieces of hot-pink woolen felt inside invite unexpected visual caresses.
—Christopher Knightart Critic, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2022
See All Example Sentences for gaily
Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2023
Keep us gaily making pins!
—Kim Phillips-Fein, The New Republic, 27 Feb. 2023
With the Meyerson gaily festooned for the holiday season, there were lighting effects and some projections.
—Dallas News, 26 Nov. 2022
Peer into their forbidding black hoods and gaily stitched pieces of hot-pink woolen felt inside invite unexpected visual caresses.
—Christopher Knightart Critic, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2022
See All Example Sentences for gaily
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gaily
Adverb
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On a good day, the Undervale houses maybe two living human guests and at least a couple dozen haunts of all demographics, time periods and modes of death — including the brother Katherine inherited it all from, the cheerfully feckless Nathan (Will Forte).—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Sep. 2025
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With additional investments signalled from Nvidia, Google and OpenAI, Keir Starmer’s government could cheerfully chalk up a win.—
Trevor Clawson,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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His disdain for Christmas is no match for visits from enchanting ghosts, a lively ensemble of characters, and the music of the season.—
Kirby Adams,
Louisville Courier Journal,
15 Sep. 2025
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Music comes through with clean highs and enough bass to keep things lively at everyday listening levels.—
Shubham Yewale,
PC Magazine,
12 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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Women in brightly colored dresses danced in shoes that loudly clicked across the floor.—
Jemma Stephenson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Sep. 2025
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Those stars burn through their fuel quickly, shine brightly, and then — overwhelmingly — end their lives in a core-collapse supernova.—
Ethan Siegel,
Big Think,
12 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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Miami happily obliged and thrived.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
13 Sep. 2025
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The actor is happily married to his longtime wife, Tomasina Tate.—
Elizabeth Ayoola,
Essence,
12 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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Bruno playfully joked that Scott had stolen his suit before offering more feedback.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
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Later in the game, when officials did call a travel on Atlanta, Clark was seen imitating the gesture again, playfully.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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But most of the laughs here are character-based, with performers neatly pitching their contributions for complementary contrast, like individual players in an orchestra.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
20 Sep. 2025
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And Wolfe Herd’s career—with its combination of early success, controversy, and ultimately a billion-dollar IPO—fits neatly into the genre.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
20 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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Shot in a colorfully naturalistic style by Irina Lubtchansky (My Golden Days), the film occasionally switches to what looks like Super 8mm, capturing the action more intimately and playfully.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Aug. 2025
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One expert, reflecting on personal experience, put it more colorfully.—
George Calhoun,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Adverb
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The song's interplay between choir and orchestra is buoyantly euphoric, opening a door to bolder, more intentionally progressive and soulful sounds in the country's mainstream.—
Marcus K. Dowling,
The Tennessean,
2 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gaily.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gaily. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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