gleefully

[ glee-fuhl-ee ]

adverb

1. with exultant, often mischievous joy or delight; merrily:

   My little niece snapped a photo of her mama and gleefully showed us the image she just captured.

Other Words From

• un·glee·ful·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of gleefully¹

First recorded in 1730–40; gleeful ( def ) + -ly ( def )

Example Sentences

In contrast, a running joke about the Donald obsessing about his hair has a fun, if gleefully nasty payoff in an episode involving Trump getting his head surgically stapled to impede his male pattern baldness.

From Salon

Cutler, in which Martha Stewart gleefully celebrates the death of a "New York Post lady" who wrote "horrible things" while covering Stewart's 2004 securities fraud trial.

From Salon

A couple of weeks ago the gang down in Mar-a-Lago was popping the champagne and gleefully drawing up plans to further destroy the White House gardens once the Trumps are in residence again.

From Salon

He also smiled his way through the season, gleefully tossed sunflower seeds on teammates and became Ohtani’s pal.

From Los Angeles Times

Cohen gleefully proclaimed that “when one friend goes out the door, another friend comes in the door.”

From Salon

Related Words

• blissfully
• blithely
• cheerfully
• contentedly
• enthusiastically
• freely
• gladly
• graciously
• heartily
• joyfully
• joyously
• lovingly
• merrily
• peacefully
• playfully
• willingly