Unhappily: meaning, definitions and examples

Used when someone is feeling sad or down due to a general sense of dissatisfaction.

• He walked away unhappily after hearing the bad news

Typically refers to feeling sorrow or regret, often because of a specific event or situation.

• She spoke sadly about her friend's departure

Emphasizes a deep, intense feeling of sadness or suffering. Often used in situations where emotions are overwhelming.

• He sat in the rain miserably, thinking about his lost opportunities

Implying a sense of annoyance or irritation towards something specific. It has a slightly negative connotation.

• She looked at her incomplete project displeasedly

Used to describe a general state of being unhappy or dissatisfaction, often in personal or emotional situations.

• She looked at him unhappily, unsure of what to say.
• Unhappily, he submitted his resignation letter.

Used to describe an action or state that lacks joy or happiness, often implying a routine or mechanical nature.

• She joylessly went through her daily chores.
• He attended the ceremony joylessly, his mind elsewhere.

Rarely used in modern English, it can describe actions done without joy. It may sound awkward or archaic in contemporary usage.

• She unjoyfully accepted the award, feeling no pride in her achievement.

Used to emphasize extreme negativity, gloom, or hopelessness. Often used in more dramatic or literary contexts.

• The weather was dismally cold and dreary.
• He performed dismally in the exam, failing to answer most of the questions.