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
Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick have been happily married for more than 35 years.
—Michael Nied, People.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Rick is enraged, and finds Jim happily taking a photograph with his wife, Sritala (Lek Patravadi), and the three galpals on vacation.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025
Everything about this strange arrangement has worked, every fear has been squelched, all awkwardness has disappeared, and the Lakers have been left with a happily productive father and a gratefully improving son.
—Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2025
That leaves Ryan Tannehill, 36, who made nearly $200 million during an 11-year NFL career and now lives happily in Nashville, Tenn.; Joe Flacco, 40, and Drew Lock, 28, among considerations.
—Charley Walters, Twin Cities, 5 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for happily
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Michael Nied, People.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Rick is enraged, and finds Jim happily taking a photograph with his wife, Sritala (Lek Patravadi), and the three galpals on vacation.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025
Everything about this strange arrangement has worked, every fear has been squelched, all awkwardness has disappeared, and the Lakers have been left with a happily productive father and a gratefully improving son.
—Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2025
That leaves Ryan Tannehill, 36, who made nearly $200 million during an 11-year NFL career and now lives happily in Nashville, Tenn.; Joe Flacco, 40, and Drew Lock, 28, among considerations.
—Charley Walters, Twin Cities, 5 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for happily
Cite this Entry
“Happily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/happily. Accessed 14 Apr. 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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