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Synonyms

genially

American  
[jeen-yuh-lee, jee-nee-uh-lee] / ˈdʒin yə li, ˈdʒi ni ə li /

adverb

  1. in a pleasantly cheerful or cordial way.

    As the dishes were passed around, we quibbled genially over whether to use two tortillas or one per taco.

Etymology

Origin of genially

genial 1 ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Partisanship was in many ways alien to Cowley’s probing and genially learned critical temperament, which Mr. Howard describes as “Emersonian, humanistic, exploratory.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 7, 2025

For an institution that is supposed to chunter away genially in the background, it has been quite in-your-face for a while now.

From BBC • May 5, 2023

Recent tradition, no matter political affiliation, has had the current president genially hosting his immediate predecessor for the unveiling — as Bill Clinton did for George H.W.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 7, 2022

Recent tradition, no matter the party affiliation, has had the current president genially hosting his immediate predecessor for the unveiling - as Clinton did for George H.W.

From Washington Times • Sep. 2, 2022

And although he spoke genially enough, I sensed something—disappointment?—in his expression.

From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.