Standard Lemma guide

merrily

adv · 2 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.

  • /ˈmɛɹɪli/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: M EH1 R AH0 L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adv

Meaning 1

In a cheerful or merry way.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • go merrily along
  • sing merrily
  • laugh merrily
  • The children sang merrily as they walked home.
  • She chatted merrily despite the rain.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: joyously, mirthfully, blessedly, bubblingly, chearfully, cheerfully, cheerily, cheerly, eudaemonically, eupeptically, gaily, gayly, genially, gladly, happily, joyfully, lightheartedly, merrily

Antonyms: none provided

2

adverb

Meaning 2

in a joyous manner

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • they shouted happily

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: happily, mirthfully, gayly, blithely, jubilantly

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English myriely, from Old English myriġlīċe; equivalent to merry + -ly.

Across languages

Translations

17 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: весело (veselo) — in a cheerful or merry manner
  • Bulgarian: оживено (oživeno) — in a cheerful or merry manner
  • Esperanto: gaje — in a cheerful or merry manner
  • French: gaiement — in a cheerful or merry manner
  • German: fröhlich — in a cheerful or merry manner
  • German: lustig — in a cheerful or merry manner
  • Ancient Greek: ἱλαρῶς (hilarôs) — in a cheerful or merry manner
  • Italian: allegramente — in a cheerful or merry manner
  • Middle English: myriely — in a cheerful or merry manner
  • Polish: wesoło — in a cheerful or merry manner
  • Romanian: voios — in a cheerful or merry manner
  • Romanian: cu bucurie — in a cheerful or merry manner
  • Romanian: cu veselie — in a cheerful or merry manner
  • Russian: ве́село (véselo) — in a cheerful or merry manner
  • Serbo-Croatian: vȅselo — in a cheerful or merry manner
  • Serbo-Croatian: ве̏село — in a cheerful or merry manner
  • Turkish: neşeli — in a cheerful or merry manner