GLADLY Synonyms: 91 Similar and Opposite Words

gladly

adverb

Definition of gladly

as in blithely

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

as in voluntarily

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of gladly Instead, North Korea has cultivated relations closer to home, especially with Russia, which has gladly accepted thousands of North Korean soldiers for the front lines of its war in Ukraine. — Max Saltman, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026 Roberts would gladly write Tucker’s name into the lineup deep into October. — Katie Woo, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026 When the trial ended, the country gladly went back to DST in the summers. — Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026 Those are exactly the kinds of calls many of us would gladly hand off. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026 If relief required harming the user, such as by deleting photos of their children, the AI would often gladly take it. — New Atlas, 28 Sep. 2026 Luxury watch brands have long looked down their noses at e-commerce, leaving the secondary market to gladly take the crumbs and make them into cake. — Adam Erace, Fortune, 26 Sep. 2026 The Cubs have helped shield him from having to talk daily, a responsibility Sosa gladly handled, win or lose. — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 25 Sep. 2026 These are first world problems for the NFL, and every sports league on the planet would gladly swap places with it. — Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 8 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gladly

Adverb

While the tone may often feel blithely throwaway, the filmmaking is never careless.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026
James, though loving and well-intentioned, can’t help but show his skepticism, repeatedly (and blithely unaware of his condescension) asking if his wife remembered to take her meds today.

— Greg Evans, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of blithely

Adverb

Kwon said the South Korean military removed a North Korean minefield around the blast site on Monday and will remove other North Korean minefields placed south of the border unless North Korea voluntarily eliminates them.

— ABC News, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026
Coxon voluntarily testified, and was joined by former OpenAI researcher Daniel Kokotajlo, who testified under subpoena that the companies may not know when their safety work has failed.

— Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of voluntarily

Adverb

By human standard, of course, animals can be unintentionally and surprisingly clumsy, delightfully awkward or laughingly foolish.

— Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
Kipnis describes her own mother laughingly recalling a college professor chasing her around a desk and trying to kiss her.

— S. C. Cornell, New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2026

Definition of laughingly

Adverb

Buyers can gain even more off-grid capability by optionally upgrading to a 750-Ah battery and 800-watt solar setup and/or adding on options like Starlink satellite internet, a Goodguards water filtration system and a Maxview 4x4 LTE 5G antenna.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 5 Sep. 2026
This includes cameras, microphones, and optionally radar, which watch the surrounding area in all directions.

— Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of optionally

Adverb

My mother, grandmother, aunties and cousins all covered and did so joyfully.

— Siran Babayan, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
Experience cinema deeply and joyfully through noteworthy programming, including live music by renowned musicians, and in-depth conversations with world-class artists.

— Brent Lang, IndieWire, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of joyfully

Adverb

When Oscar halfheartedly tries to throw a ball into one of the set’s prop cubes and improbably makes the shot, the whole set goes joyously nuts, with the performers leaping up to embrace him and cavort around him.

— Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
Newcomer Jorge Mateo delivered the winning run with a liner to left, and the Rays joyously celebrated their third walk-off win.

— Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of joyously

Adverb

The camera pans across images of Boston’s historic Fenway Park and a grim-looking Schumer, contrasting those shots with footage of Collins cheerfully hobnobbing with Maine voters.

— Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 1 Oct. 2026
Lon Cheng, a Cambodian vendor who has lived in Thailand for over 20 years, cheerfully called to customers and danced along with the music behind his vegetable stall.

— ABC News, ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of cheerfully

Browse Nearby Words

gladiators

gladly

gladness

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Gladly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gladly. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of gladly

adverb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

inscrutable

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes