happily

comparative more happily · comparative rare happilier · superlative most happily · rare superlative happiliest

1. In a happy or cheerful manner; with happiness.

   This time next month I’ll be happily fishing at the beach.

   2 more examples

   And thus I have given the first part of a life of fortune and adventure, a life of Providence's chequer-work, and of a variety which the world will seldom be able to shew the like of: beginning foolishly, but closing much more happily than any part of it ever gave me leave so much as to hope for.

   1719 May 6 (Gregorian calendar), [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, […], London: […] W[illiam] Taylor […], →OCLC, page 311

   Train operating companies get plenty of column inches in the tabloids, usually for negative reasons. Happily, Southeastern is worthy of praise for having made The Sun for something positive.

   2024 February 21, Nick Brodrick, “Inclusion and development for all”, in RAIL, number 1003, page 62

   Synonyms: cheerfully, joyously

2. By good chance; fortunately, successfully.

   Watt wore, on his feet, a boot, brown in colour, and a shoe, happily of a brownish colour also.

   1953, Samuel Beckett, Watt, [Paris]: Olympia Press, →OCLC

3. With good will; in all happiness; willingly.

   I will happily help you look for your lost wallet.

   Synonyms: gladly

4. archaicBy chance; perhaps.

   And who knoweth whether a thousand yeares hence a third opinion will rise, which happily shall overthrow these two precedents?

   1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 12, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC

   Synonyms: haply