Standard Lemma guide

blithely

adv · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation, US: /ˈblaɪðli/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: B L AY1 TH L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adv

Meaning 1

Without care, concern, or consideration.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • As the bombs fell on the city, the woman blithely continued with her chores.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: carelessly, indifferently

Antonyms: none provided

2

adv

Meaning 2

In a joyful, carefree manner.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: gladly, joyfully, merrily

Antonyms: none provided

3

adv

Meaning 3

In a kind manner.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adverb

Meaning 4

in a joyous manner

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • they shouted happily

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: happily, merrily, mirthfully, gayly, jubilantly

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English blythely, blyþely, bliþeliche, from Old English blīþelīċe (“gladly, blithely”), from Proto-West Germanic [Term?]; compare Dutch blijdelijk. By surface analysis, blithe + -ly.

Across languages

Translations

17 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: zorgeloos — without care, concern, or consideration
  • Dutch: onbezorgd — without care, concern, or consideration
  • Finnish: huolettomasti — without care, concern, or consideration
  • German: ungerührt — without care, concern, or consideration
  • German: unbekümmert — without care, concern, or consideration
  • Kyrgyz: көнүлдүү (könüldüü) — without care, concern, or consideration
  • Russian: беспе́чно (bespéčno) — without care, concern, or consideration
  • Serbo-Croatian: bezbrižno — without care, concern, or consideration
  • Spanish: despreocupadamente — without care, concern, or consideration
  • Swedish: bekymmerslöst — without care, concern, or consideration
  • Finnish: hilpeästi — in a joyful, carefree manner
  • German: unbekümmert — in a joyful, carefree manner
  • Italian: spensieratamente — in a joyful, carefree manner
  • Italian: allegramente — in a joyful, carefree manner
  • Serbo-Croatian: bezbrižno — in a joyful, carefree manner
  • Spanish: alegremente — in a joyful, carefree manner
  • Serbo-Croatian: bezbrižno — In a kind manner