gladly

Gladly is an English adverb used to express doing something with pleasure, willingness, or cheerful readiness. It often emphasizes positive sentiment about performing an action and can substitute for phrases like “with pleasure” or “happily.” It is the adverbial form of the adjective glad.

Etymology and forms: Gladly derives from the adjective glad, meaning cheerful or pleased, with the standard English adverbial suffix -ly. It has been in use since Middle English and remains common in both formal and informal registers.

Usage and nuance: Gladly is typically placed before the main verb it modifies, or before a verb phrase, to signal willingness. Examples include “I would gladly help,” “She would gladly accept the invitation,” and “We would gladly revisit the issue.” It can also occur in polite offers or responses, such as “I would gladly participate.” In modern speech, it may sound formal or old-fashioned in casual contexts, where alternatives like “happy to,” “glad to,” or “sure” are more common.

Grammatical role: Gladly is an adverbial form and contrasts with glad as an adjective. While “I am glad” describes a state of feeling, “I would gladly” describes the attitude with which an action would be performed.

Synonyms and antonyms: Synonyms include willingly, eagerly, joyfully. Antonyms include unwillingly, reluctantly.

See also: glad, gladness, willingness, eagerly.