joyous

adjective

joy·​ous ˈjȯi-əs How to pronounce joyous (audio)
Synonyms of joyousnext
: joyful
a joyous occasion
a joyous celebration
joyously adverb
joyousness noun

Examples of joyous in a Sentence

a mood of joyous anticipation a joyous crowd eagerly awaiting the countdown to midnight on New Year's Eve
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The willful Sun teams up with joyous Jupiter to energize your domestic zone and your intimidating 8th house. Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2026 John is a joyous and charismatic showman. Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune, 4 Mar. 2026 The joyous gallows humor and horror-movie commentary of old are gone, and some inspired working-in of new technology falls apart. Brian Truitt, USA Today, 28 Feb. 2026 Fern Stroud, the founder of Black Vines, says this event marks the culmination of many years of real but joyous work. John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for joyous

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of joyous was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Joyous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/joyous. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

joyous

adjective
joy·​ous ˈjȯi-əs How to pronounce joyous (audio)
: feeling, causing, or showing joy : joyful
joyously adverb
joyousness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on joyous

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster