Gleefully
What it means
With lively and openly expressed delight.
Reach for it when describing playful enjoyment when its object is harmless
The twins gleefully chased soap bubbles across the lawn.
Words to choose between 6
| playful |
|
|---|---|
| everyday | |
| warm | |
| professional | |
| literary |
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playful
with relish
Fits when someone takes marked enjoyment in an action
Careful With relish can sound cruel when the action disadvantages another person.
-
everyday
Fits when ordinary pleasure accompanies the action
Careful Happily is milder and can merely mean willingly.
-
warm
Fits when happiness is heartfelt rather than mischievous
Careful Joyfully can be reverent or tender and says less about playful animation.
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professional
excitedly
Fits when high arousal and anticipation are observable
Careful Excitement may be anxious or neutral rather than happy.
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literary
delightedly
Fits when a visible response to good news deserves emphasis
Careful Delightedly is uncommon and more polished than spontaneous glee.
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literary
Fits when social festivity or lighthearted movement shapes the scene
Careful Merrily can sound quaint and often evokes seasonal celebration.
Opposites 3
- sadly
- reluctantly
- dejectedly
Common phrases 3
-
gleefully announced
She gleefully announced that every lost photograph had been recovered.
-
gleefully accepted
The children gleefully accepted the invitation to paint the backdrop.
-
gleefully waved
Passengers gleefully waved as the repaired ferry entered the harbor.
Word family 2
Usage notes
Keep in mind
Gleefully is unsafe when delight comes from humiliation, punishment, or another person's setback.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Updated