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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
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
To make the gamma ray bells ring out gaily, the player lifts the little lead casings that cover the materials—and can do so in a rhythmic fashion to make a strange kind of song.
—Eliza Strickland, IEEE Spectrum, 24 July 2018
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
To make the gamma ray bells ring out gaily, the player lifts the little lead casings that cover the materials—and can do so in a rhythmic fashion to make a strange kind of song.
—Eliza Strickland, IEEE Spectrum, 24 July 2018
See All Example Sentences for gaily
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gaily
Adverb
-
In Atlanta, my hometown airport, cheerfully marketed as the world’s busiest, had descended into organized chaos.—
Bill Barrow,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Mar. 2026
-
In Atlanta, my hometown airport, cheerfully marketed as the world’s busiest, had descended into organized chaos.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Young hunters can also expect pennies, treats and other surprises along the route—enough to keep the afternoon lively.—
Debby Rice,
Mercury News,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Close to lively Lower Greenville in the coveted M Streets neighborhood, a five-bedroom modern design awaits at 6215 Llano Ave.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
22 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
First, find Copernicus shining brightly 10 degrees above the lunar equator, brightening the dark basaltic plains on the western lunar surface, and Tycho, which dominates the southern hemisphere of Earth's natural satellite around the full moon phase.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
3 Apr. 2026
-
But much like other corals, those born in the darkness can be brightly colored.—
K. R. Callaway,
Scientific American,
3 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
There are a ton of local shops to rent from that will happily meet you at the ferry terminal or the airport with your rental car.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The receptionist works behind a period cabinet converted into the sort of desk Philip Marlowe would happily put his feet on and Art Deco ornamentations abound, from the beautiful clocks, to the slightly sinister candlesticks.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
To solve the couple's particular design puzzle, the studio came up with Light House, a vertical home that places each of the family’s major activities in its own dedicated box and playfully stacks them on top of one another.—
Stefan Ionescu
March 30,
New Atlas,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The queen had a wry sense of humor and enjoyed Angela’s wit and her habit of playfully teasing other courtiers.—
Katie Nicholl,
Vanity Fair,
30 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Milton, who does it full-time, posts exquisite videos of the food, with mood music to suit the vibe of each or talks colorfully about the tastes.—
Pamela McLoughlin,
Hartford Courant,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Sean McGinley’s sound design ties it all together with atmospheric cues that bridge the eras as do Jamie Godwin’s colorfully gorgeous projection designs.—
Michelle F. Solomon,
Miami Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Still, while these surfaces are clearly meant to reflect deeper emotional and cultural truths, Coppola’s mining of them is done glancingly, airily.—
Naomi Fry,
New Yorker,
21 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
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 7 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
