What does thankfully mean?
Word: Thankfully
Part of Speech: Adverb
Meaning: used to say you are glad and relieved that something has happened, or not happened.
Synonyms: fortunately
How do you spell thankfully?
Syllables: thank - ful - ly
Tricky part: The nk sound is spelt with n and k, not nc, and the k is easy to lose before the f.
Watch out for: thanfully, thancfully
Memory tip: Imagine a big letter k holding the door open between the n and the f: without it the word falls apart.
Thankfully in a sentence
Example 1: Thankfully, the bus waited for us when we ran late.
Example 2: The vase wobbled but, thankfully, it did not fall.
Example 3: Thankfully, Ammi had packed an extra water bottle for the trip.
Fun Fact
The word grows from an Old English root related to think, and its first meaning was close to keeping someone kindly in your thoughts.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the incorrectly spelt word:
a) hopefully
b) carefully
c) peacefully
d) thankfuly
Show answer
d) thankfuly. The l of the first ending and the l of ly meet in the middle, so two l's are needed.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word:
thankfully
a) slowly
b) sadly
c) angrily
d) luckily
Show answer
d) luckily. Both words show you are glad something turned out well.
Mingle-Mangle
Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:
flutykhanl
a) thankfully
b) faithfully
c) tactfully
d) thoughtfully
Show answer
a) thankfully. Thoughtfully needs an o and a g, faithfully an i, and tactfully a c.
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to form a word:
th_nkf_lly
a) u, u
b) a, o
c) a, u
d) e, u
Show answer
c) a, u. Thank has an a, and the middle part is ful with a u.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which sentence uses thankfully correctly?
a) Thankfully, it rained on our picnic all day.
b) Thankfully, the lost puppy came home safe.
c) Thankfully, I dropped my lunch in the mud.
d) Thankfully, I missed the school bus again.
Show answer
b) Thankfully, the lost puppy came home safe.
2. Which word means the opposite of thankfully in a sentence like Thankfully, the bus was on time?
a) unfortunately
b) luckily
c) quickly
d) happily
Show answer
a) unfortunately
