happiness
noun
hap·pi·ness
ˈha-pē-nəs 
1
a
: a state of well-being and contentment : joy
b
: a pleasurable or satisfying experience
I wish you every happiness in life.
I had the happiness of seeing you—
W. S. Gilbert
W. S. Gilbert3
obsolete
: good fortune : prosperity
All happiness bechance to thee …—William Shakespeare
William ShakespeareExamples of happiness in a Sentence
They made a toast to long life and happiness.
her happiness was complete when she got her very own house
Recent Examples on the Web
Researchers from a coalition of West Coast universities were curious how 100 human participants would respond to the age-old question, but not because of their own pursuit of happiness.
—Jared Perlo, NBC news, 20 Mar. 2026
In general, researchers noticed a negative correlation between social media use and happiness, especially among young people.
—Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 20 Mar. 2026
Social media may be in part to blame, and this year’s happiness report found that youth who used social media more than five hours daily reported a lower level of well-being.
—Lily Hautau, CNN Money, 20 Mar. 2026
Marking the arrival of spring, the festival is awash in colorful powder that participants throw to spread joy and happiness, so choose your clothing with that in mind.
—Travis Pinson, Dallas Morning News, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for happiness
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Jared Perlo, NBC news, 20 Mar. 2026
In general, researchers noticed a negative correlation between social media use and happiness, especially among young people.
—Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 20 Mar. 2026
Social media may be in part to blame, and this year’s happiness report found that youth who used social media more than five hours daily reported a lower level of well-being.
—Lily Hautau, CNN Money, 20 Mar. 2026
Marking the arrival of spring, the festival is awash in colorful powder that participants throw to spread joy and happiness, so choose your clothing with that in mind.
—Travis Pinson, Dallas Morning News, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for happiness
Cite this Entry
“Happiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/happiness. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
happiness
noun
hap·pi·ness
ˈhap-i-nəs
: a state of well-being and contentment : joy
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