1
: a high degree of gratification or pleasure : joy
children squealing in delight
also
: extreme satisfaction
seems to take delight in the misfortunes of others
2
: something that gives great pleasure
her performance was a delight
3
archaic
: the power of affording pleasure
of more delight than hawks or horses be—
Shakespeare
Shakespeare
delighted; delighting; delights
1
: to take great pleasure
delighted in playing the guitar
2
: to give keen enjoyment
a book certain to delight
: to give joy or satisfaction to
Her books delight readers of all ages.
delighter
noun
Synonyms
Examples of delight in a Sentence
Noun
We watched the fireworks with delight.
The kids screamed in delight as they chased one another around the park.
To the delight of the children, there were enough cookies for everyone to have two.
Some people seem to take great delight in hearing about the misfortunes of others.
The trip was a delight.
a garden full of tasty delights
The magazine is a cook's delight.
The stories are a delight to read.
Verb
The toy delighted the children.
The stories will delight readers of all ages.
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Recent Examples on the WebAlexandra Schonfeld, Peoplemag, 18 Sep. 2023
Inside is a food lover's delight with gourmet selections made using ingredients from France, Portugal, Morocco, and Italy.
—Nicole Pyles, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Sep. 2023
An iconic painter and sculptor who found international success pushing the boundaries of volume and form with his voluptuous figures, Botero made instantly recognizable artworks that have been a source of delight to viewers and collectors for some 70 years.
—Salomé Gómez-Upegui, Vogue, 15 Sep. 2023
Michelle Yeoh, always a delight to see, plays the medium, and at one point is spun around wildly like a woman possessed.
—Caryn James, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Sep. 2023
One model paired her look with two little leashed dogs to the delight of guests.
—Mario Abad, ELLE, 9 Sep. 2023
The staff decided to adopt Scout, much to the delight of residents.
—Catherine Garcia, The Week, 7 Sep. 2023
This British anthology series is a magical grab bag, perfect for anyone with decision fatigue who still wants a parade of delights.
—Margaret Lyons, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2023
Nearly a dozen flamingos have been seen roaming the Outer Banks over the past few days, much to the delight of the local birding community.
—Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2023
Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 7 Sep. 2023
In a way, all restaurants are beautifully temperamental machines constructed to serve, nourish and delight hungry people.
—Bradley Hohulin, The Indianapolis Star, 31 Aug. 2023
Modern creations are filled with all kinds of fun surprises, including jewelry, toys, and art supplies to delight and entertain kids of all ages.
—Brigitt Earley, Glamour, 29 Aug. 2023
Visitors who drive the scenic park road can often see bands of horses, a symbol of the West and sight that delights tourists.
—Jack Dura, BostonGlobe.com, 26 Aug. 2023
Ever a contender among the best islands in the United States as ranked by Travel + Leisure readers, Hilton Head beckons with historical and cultural learnings dished up alongside culinary and beach delights.
—Terry Ward, Travel + Leisure, 26 Aug. 2023
Last year, 50 Cent and Eminem delighted fans by reuniting with several other hip-hop stars — Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar and Snoop Dogg — to perform a rousing Super Bowl Halftime Show together.
—Erin Clack, Peoplemag, 13 Aug. 2023
The theater has delighted local audiences for 93 years.
—Joan Rusek, cleveland, 26 Aug. 2023
Live music Christian Nodal: After his surprise appearance at the recent Romeo Santos concert in Mexico City, Christian Nodal returns to Southern California for a show that will delight fans of the Regional Mexican genre.
—Chelsea Hylton, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2023
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Noun
From post-Oscars In-N-Out grubs to presidential pitstops, these famous faces don't shy away from diving into the cheesy delight.
—Alexandra Schonfeld, Peoplemag, 18 Sep. 2023
Inside is a food lover's delight with gourmet selections made using ingredients from France, Portugal, Morocco, and Italy.
—Nicole Pyles, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Sep. 2023
An iconic painter and sculptor who found international success pushing the boundaries of volume and form with his voluptuous figures, Botero made instantly recognizable artworks that have been a source of delight to viewers and collectors for some 70 years.
—Salomé Gómez-Upegui, Vogue, 15 Sep. 2023
Michelle Yeoh, always a delight to see, plays the medium, and at one point is spun around wildly like a woman possessed.
—Caryn James, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Sep. 2023
One model paired her look with two little leashed dogs to the delight of guests.
—Mario Abad, ELLE, 9 Sep. 2023
The staff decided to adopt Scout, much to the delight of residents.
—Catherine Garcia, The Week, 7 Sep. 2023
This British anthology series is a magical grab bag, perfect for anyone with decision fatigue who still wants a parade of delights.
—Margaret Lyons, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2023
Nearly a dozen flamingos have been seen roaming the Outer Banks over the past few days, much to the delight of the local birding community.
—Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2023
Verb
The whimsical presentation will delight a birthday honoree of any age.
—Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 7 Sep. 2023
In a way, all restaurants are beautifully temperamental machines constructed to serve, nourish and delight hungry people.
—Bradley Hohulin, The Indianapolis Star, 31 Aug. 2023
Modern creations are filled with all kinds of fun surprises, including jewelry, toys, and art supplies to delight and entertain kids of all ages.
—Brigitt Earley, Glamour, 29 Aug. 2023
Visitors who drive the scenic park road can often see bands of horses, a symbol of the West and sight that delights tourists.
—Jack Dura, BostonGlobe.com, 26 Aug. 2023
Ever a contender among the best islands in the United States as ranked by Travel + Leisure readers, Hilton Head beckons with historical and cultural learnings dished up alongside culinary and beach delights.
—Terry Ward, Travel + Leisure, 26 Aug. 2023
Last year, 50 Cent and Eminem delighted fans by reuniting with several other hip-hop stars — Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar and Snoop Dogg — to perform a rousing Super Bowl Halftime Show together.
—Erin Clack, Peoplemag, 13 Aug. 2023
The theater has delighted local audiences for 93 years.
—Joan Rusek, cleveland, 26 Aug. 2023
Live music Christian Nodal: After his surprise appearance at the recent Romeo Santos concert in Mexico City, Christian Nodal returns to Southern California for a show that will delight fans of the Regional Mexican genre.
—Chelsea Hylton, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'delight.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Verb and Noun
Middle English deliten, from Anglo-French deliter, from Latin delectare, frequentative of delicere to allure, from de- + lacere to allure
First Known Use
Noun
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of delight was
in the 13th century
Phrases Containing delight
Dictionary Entries Near delight
Cite this Entry
“Delight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/delight. Accessed 23 Sep. 2023.
Copy Citation
More from Merriam-Webster on delight
Nglish: Translation of delight for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of delight for Arabic Speakers
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