Gleefully

Podcast 1 · Introduction

Gleefully

A documentary-style narration: origin, meaning, and feel.

Part of speech

adverb

Pronunciation

GLEE-ful-ee  /ˈɡliːf(ə)li/

Definition

In a manner expressing great delight or joy, especially at something that gives pleasure or at something slightly mischievous or wicked.

Plain meaning

Gleefully means with great joy and delight — often with a hint of mischief. If you do something gleefully, you are very happy about it, sometimes because it is a little naughty.

Register

Informal and vivid. Gleefully implies an irrepressible quality — the person cannot contain their delight. Common in narrative and journalism, where it often implies a hint of mischief or schadenfreude alongside the joy.