UNHAPPILY

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does unhappily mean? 

• UNHAPPILY (adverb)
  The adverb UNHAPPILY has 2 senses:

1. in an unpleasant way

2. in an unfortunate way

  Familiarity information: UNHAPPILY used as an adverb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• UNHAPPILY (adverb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

In an unpleasant way

Context example:

they were unhappily married

Antonym:

happily (in a joyous manner)

Pertainym:

unhappy (causing discomfort)

Sense 2

Meaning:

In an unfortunate way

Synonyms:

sadly; unhappily

Context example:

sadly he died before he could see his grandchild

 Context examples 

His finger hurt him again and he passed it over his head, and then unhappily a hair fell down into the well.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

Their father was no object of love to them; he had never seemed the friend of their pleasures, and his absence was unhappily most welcome.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

“I am unhappily a widower,” said I.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Unhappily there are not many to learn, as the only train to-morrow leaves as I say.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

I told him that, unhappily for the burial service, I was not a preacher, when he sharply demanded: What do you do for a living?

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

I at once came to Norfolk with my friend and colleague, Dr. Watson, but, unhappily, only in time to find that the worst had already occurred.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He found that the newspaper storiette should never be tragic, should never end unhappily, and should never contain beauty of language, subtlety of thought, nor real delicacy of sentiment.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Her indifferent state of health unhappily prevents her being in town; and by that means, as I told Lady Catherine one day, has deprived the British court of its brightest ornament.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

Unhappily you have crushed this fine specimen at the moment of satiation.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Unhappily, Murillo heard of his excellence, recalled him on some pretext, and had him shot.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)