Unhappily Meaning
/ʌnˈhæpɪli/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
advUnfortunately; regrettably.
advThrough evil fate or chance; wretchedly.
Sentence Examples
You doubtless mean well; but your ideas are unhappily mistaken.
Due to differing opinions between the two, they argued angrily, before leaving unhappily.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
None
Antonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
After hearing the bad news, she ____ walked away from the hospital room.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
He ____ admitted that he had lost the keys to the office and that he would have to call a locksmith today.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English onhappily, unhappili, unhappily, unhappyly; equivalent to un- + happily or unhappy + -ly.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"The line to Dunières consists of a series of breakneck descents almost invariably ended by a violent curve and followed immediately by a panting climb, on which the engine barked thunderously but failed unhappily to maintain its booked speed of 13 m.p.h."
— 1961 November 26, H. G. Ellison, P. G. Barlow, “Journey through France: Part One”, in Trains Illustrated, page 668:
"Theodore Roosevelt […] added, perhaps unhappily, that he believed the US administration in the Philippines could learn a lot from the Austrian example."
— 2012, Christopher Clark, The Sleepwalkers, Penguin, published 2013, page 76:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
After hearing the bad news, she ____ walked away from the hospital room.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
He ____ admitted that he had lost the keys to the office and that he would have to call a locksmith today.