glee

noun

ˈglē 

1

: exultant high-spirited joy : merriment

dancing with glee

2

: a part-song for usually male voices

Synonyms of glee

• cheerfulness
• merriness
• cheer
• festivity
• mirth

Examples of glee in a Sentence

They were dancing with glee.

He could hardly contain his glee over his victory.

Recent Examples on the Web

Pod Save America Was Cautiously Optimistic One of the sadder sidenotes of this blue wave was that The Late Show With Stephen Colbert had already bowed before Colbert could do a live show that was 87 percent cackling with glee. — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2026

Homerism was rampant on election night, and some talkers could hardly contain their glee. — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 5 Nov. 2026

What’s evident is that the person laughing all the way to the bank in this transaction is Vladimir Putin, though his glee could be muted. — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026

Egerton makes inspired choices, howling with sadistic glee during his pursuit. — Robert Daniels, New York Times, 30 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English glēo entertainment, music; akin to Old Norse glȳ joy, and perhaps to Greek chleuē joke

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing glee

• glee club

Rhymes for glee

• be
• bee
• bree
• cree
• fee
• flea
• flee
• free
• gee
• ghee
• he
• ki

Kids Definition

glee

noun

ˈglē 

1

: high-spirited joy

2

: an unaccompanied song for three or more voices

gleeful

-fəl

adjective

gleefully

-fə-lē

adverb

gleefulness noun