What does heartily mean?
Heartily is an adverb describing an action performed with warmth, enthusiasm, energy, or wholehearted commitment. People may heartily laugh, heartily applaud, or heartily welcome someone, using it to emphasize the positive feeling behind the action. It can also express strong approval or support: a reviewer might heartily recommend a book, or a committee might heartily approve a plan. In these contexts, “heartily” suggests sincerity as well as intensity, often implying that the attitude is sincere and unreserved. The word is useful because it conveys emotion more vividly than a general word such as “very,” while still working naturally in both everyday conversation and formal prose. Its pronunciation is generally given as HART-uh-lee, with the r retained in American English.
adverbIn a warm, enthusiastic, and often vigorous manner. It can also mean sincerely or strongly, as in “heartily approve,” or wholeheartedly, as in “heartily welcome.”
- In a warm, friendly, and enthusiastic manner.
- With great energy, force, or gusto.
- Strongly, sincerely, or wholeheartedly.
"The guests heartily laughed at the comedian's unexpected joke."
"The audience heartily laughed as the speaker told the story."
"She heartily approved of the proposal and offered to help implement it."
Heartily turns ordinary approval into a warm, emphatic endorsement—and makes laughter sound like a celebration.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does heartily come from?
“Heartily” developed in English from “heart” combined with the adverb-forming suffix “-ly,” meaning “in the manner of a heart” or “from the heart.” The underlying element “heart” comes from Old English “heorte,” the Germanic word for the organ and, by extension, the source of feeling or courage. Related English forms include “hearty,” “hearten,” and “heartless,” all of which extend the same basic word.
How heartily is actually used
The adverb is common in both formal and informal English. Its use often conveys enthusiasm or warmth, and it can suggest that an action is vigorous, emphatic, or unreserved. In formal writing, “wholeheartedly” may sometimes be a more neutral alternative.