as in bitterly
with feelings of bitterness or grief
an unhappily married couple being counseled by a professional
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 unhappily
These checks on presidential powers have not only been heeded by the men in power, however unhappily, but have become part of case law.
—
Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 4 June 2025
Some lived unhappily at the club, unable to maximise their talent or contribute to success.
—Carl Anka, New York Times, 16 May 2025
Moscow, Washington, and, however unhappily, Kyiv know that NATO membership is out of Ukraine’s reach.
—The Editors, National Review, 24 Apr. 2025
The seller was unhappily mulling it when another offer emerged, then another.
—Kim Velsey, Curbed, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unhappily
Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 4 June 2025
Some lived unhappily at the club, unable to maximise their talent or contribute to success.
—Carl Anka, New York Times, 16 May 2025
Moscow, Washington, and, however unhappily, Kyiv know that NATO membership is out of Ukraine’s reach.
—The Editors, National Review, 24 Apr. 2025
The seller was unhappily mulling it when another offer emerged, then another.
—Kim Velsey, Curbed, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unhappily
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unhappily
Adverb
-
Tom’s final epiphany related to his estranged son isn’t earned, but not because of Ruffalo; his performance cuts a fine line between bitterly self-destructive and warmly spiritual.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
-
San Francisco officials fought bitterly against Waymo and now-defunct Cruise robotaxis from General Motors, after their vehicles repeatedly blocked traffic and emergency vehicles, with Cruise the main perpetrator.—
Ethan Baron,
Mercury News,
5 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
He eventually was contacted by a Korean company to audition for them, but sadly, didn’t make it.—
Laura Sirikul,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
-
This is, sadly, a lost art; now everything is an elaborate ballet of calling, texting, and planning, with little room for spontaneity.—
Kara Nesvig,
Parents,
12 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
Prolific over a painfully brief career, Manzoni was one of the most radical artists of the postwar avant-garde in Italy, active between the late 1950s until his death in 1963.—
Natasha Gural,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
-
As should be painfully clear by now, there are no shortcuts to peace.—
Bloomberg Opinion,
Twin Cities,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unhappily.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unhappily. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share