thankfully

USAGE SUMMARY

'thankfully' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to express that something fortunate has happened or when you are relieved about a situation. Example: Thankfully, the test was much easier than I had expected.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The player was thankfully not seriously hurt".

The Guardian - Sport

But it doesn't really pertain to me in my work thankfully.

The Guardian - Film

This state of affairs is doubly extraordinary because, unlike the 1930s or late 19th century, there is a welfare state – even if it is under assault from the coalition – which thankfully underwrites collective demand.

The Guardian - Opinion

Thankfully, it never happened to me, but I know people who have been victims of this and who still bear a grudge against the cruel or tactless grown-up in question.

The Guardian - Opinion

Standing next to a photograph of Gladstone, he said: "The radical Liberals were pretty successful … The old Tory elite kind of lost out to those radical reformers, thankfully, which is why we became a successful country.

The Guardian

Thankfully, this year's photos didn't have quite the same tone.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Thankfully she expressed the perfect balance of regret at my leaving and delight at the opportunity that this could present for Soas in engaging their Africa-based alumni and those supporters who felt passionate about the region.

The Guardian

Thankfully, more women did come forward – including Lucy DeCoutere, who agreed to tell her story of violence at Ghomeshi's hands on the record.

The Guardian - Opinion

Tourism is what makes the island tick these days, although thankfully it is of the understated variety.

The Guardian - Travel

Thankfully, I had an amazing teacher called Miss Marquis who helped me get through it.

The Guardian

Thankfully, excellent and skilled non-profit organisations like the Bay Area's Muslim Advocates offer free information and video tutorials educating all Americans – regardless of faith or race – about their fourth amendment rights and the limits of TSA questioning.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Position "thankfully" at the beginning of a sentence or clause for emphasis, immediately conveying the sense of relief or gratitude.

Common error

Avoid using "thankfully" too frequently in your writing, as it can become repetitive and weaken its impact. Vary your language by using synonyms such as "fortunately", "mercifully", or expressing the relief directly through descriptive language.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "thankfully" is to act as an adverb, modifying a verb, clause, or sentence to express a feeling of relief or gratitude. Ludwig examples show its use in setting a positive tone following a potentially negative situation. Ludwig AI confirms that the term is grammatically correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "thankfully" is a versatile and frequently used adverb that effectively conveys feelings of relief or gratitude. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically sound and suitable for various contexts, especially in news and media. When using "thankfully", remember to consider synonyms like "fortunately" or "mercifully" to avoid overuse and maintain the impact of your writing. Ensure the context aligns with expressing genuine relief about a situation that turned out well. Ludwig examples shows several common usages of the term across different types of articles.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

fortunately

Direct synonym, expressing a similar sentiment of good luck or a positive outcome.

to my relief

Directly expresses the speaker's feeling of relief regarding the situation.

mercifully

Emphasizes a sense of relief that a negative outcome was avoided, often implying a degree of unexpectedness.

gratefully

Highlights the feeling of appreciation for a positive situation or outcome.

happily

Indicates a joyful or pleased feeling about a particular situation or event.

by good fortune

Emphasizes that the positive outcome was due to luck or chance.

by a stroke of luck

Similar to "by good fortune", this highlights the unexpected and beneficial nature of the event.

as luck would have it

Suggests a coincidental or serendipitous positive occurrence.

auspiciously

Implies that the event occurred under favorable circumstances or with positive omens.

providentially

Suggests divine intervention or a fortunate occurrence guided by a higher power.

FAQs

How can I use "thankfully" in a sentence?

"Thankfully" is an adverb that expresses relief or gratitude about a situation. For example, "Thankfully, the rain stopped before the picnic began."

What can I say instead of "thankfully"?

You can use alternatives like "fortunately", "mercifully", or "gratefully" depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to start a sentence with "thankfully"?

Yes, it is perfectly acceptable and often adds emphasis to the feeling of relief. For instance, "Thankfully, we arrived on time."

What's the difference between "thankfully" and "hopefully"?

"Thankfully" expresses relief about something that has already occurred, while "hopefully" expresses a wish or expectation about a future event.