1
as in joy
a feeling or state of well-being and contentment
felt nothing but gladness at seeing her best friend beat her out for the award
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in contentment
the feeling experienced when one's wishes are met
the children's gladness was evident as they opened their Christmas presents
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of gladness
May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.
—
Abigail Van Buren,
Boston Herald,
17 Mar. 2026
Hazel shrugged, but Lilian could see her gladness at being asked.
—
Yiyun Li,
New Yorker,
1 Mar. 2026
Over time in Middle English, myrth(e) narrowed to mean joy, amusement, or gladness, often expressed in laughter and festivity.
—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
Abigail Van Buren,
Boston Herald,
17 Mar. 2026
Hazel shrugged, but Lilian could see her gladness at being asked.
—
Yiyun Li,
New Yorker,
1 Mar. 2026
Over time in Middle English, myrth(e) narrowed to mean joy, amusement, or gladness, often expressed in laughter and festivity.
—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gladness
Noun
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Gathering in the heart of the Golden Triangle turns Juneteenth into both a public history lesson and a street‑level celebration of Black joy.
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Foreigners are visiting the United States, having fun, finding joy in the ridiculousness of American abundance and telling the internet about it.
Noun
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But do all this with the knowledge of what brings you contentment—and start charting your course now.
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Barefoot in jeans and a T-shirt, the rock legend is the picture of contentment as waves ripple through the pool behind him from a breeze off the Atlantic.
Noun
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But more than ever before, Nouel said, women are shirking the expectations of previous generations and considering all of their options to happiness, instead of staying in relationships that don't serve them.
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Everyone is over the moon with the experience, especially Aesha, who can barely contain her happiness; the night set the bar very high for the rest of the season.
Noun
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Shoppers are reading labels, asking harder questions, and rewarding products that deliver both enjoyment and genuine function.
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The visual accompaniment to the president’s promise of national enjoyment showed two multistory stone arcades running down the length of the Mall—very classical, very retvrn—thronged with crowds.
Noun
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Compared with the fro-yo at Culture and Go Greek, the yogurt at Birdie’s, a cute little spot in the West Village, is so un-yogurtlike that there’s hardly any pleasure in the plain.
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But Van Sant’s imaginative and deeply poignant retelling of Shakespeare’s Henry IV is a pleasure in its own right, its sweetness and gentle touches of surrealism coming together to form a heartbreaking ode to young love.
Noun
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For example, a recent study found that remote workers coming to the office one day a month increases productivity by 8% and cuts attrition by a third while boosting job satisfaction and improving communication.
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Winners include people and businesses recognized for outstanding service and customer satisfaction.
Noun
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This article was created by content specialists using various tools, including AI.
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Before publishing, journalists reviewed this content in compliance with McClatchy Media’s AI policy.
Noun
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Creamy, saucy, cheesy, and hearty, this recipe is a true delight.
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And Pizza Hut added Detroit-style pizza to its menu as a limited edition in early 2021, much to the delight of some customers.
Cite this Entry
“Gladness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gladness. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.
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