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
Burns is happily married to a shorter man who doesn’t mind that his wife has several inches on him.
—Scottie Andrew, CNN Money, 7 June 2025
Fifteen kids happily stomp their sneakers to the count.
—John Burnett, NPR, 7 June 2025
In the follow up, To Barcelona, Forever, set five months later, Erica and Anna are happily navigating new chapters in their lives.
—Anne Easton, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
The second part of the clip shows Snow happily lounging in the foster mom's bed.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for happily
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Scottie Andrew, CNN Money, 7 June 2025
Fifteen kids happily stomp their sneakers to the count.
—John Burnett, NPR, 7 June 2025
In the follow up, To Barcelona, Forever, set five months later, Erica and Anna are happily navigating new chapters in their lives.
—Anne Easton, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
The second part of the clip shows Snow happily lounging in the foster mom's bed.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 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 10 Jun. 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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