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
In this case, the distributor happily broke its own rule.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 18 Apr. 2025
Her real name is Madeline Kingston — a woman of means, still happily married, but harboring a secret vendetta.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 17 Apr. 2025
Black swallowtail caterpillars will happily munch on the ferny foliage.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 15 Apr. 2025
The Perry who happily hopped aboard a billionaire’s galactic pleasure craft is the Perry who’s friends with the toilet, is the Perry who sings about feeling like a plastic bag and living in a woman’s world, is the Perry who showed up to the Met Gala dressed like a hamburger.
—Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for happily
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Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 18 Apr. 2025
Her real name is Madeline Kingston — a woman of means, still happily married, but harboring a secret vendetta.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 17 Apr. 2025
Black swallowtail caterpillars will happily munch on the ferny foliage.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 15 Apr. 2025
The Perry who happily hopped aboard a billionaire’s galactic pleasure craft is the Perry who’s friends with the toilet, is the Perry who sings about feeling like a plastic bag and living in a woman’s world, is the Perry who showed up to the Met Gala dressed like a hamburger.
—Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 15 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 25 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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