gleeful

adjective

glee·​ful ˈglē-fəl 

: full of glee : merry

gleeful laughter

gleefully

ˈglē-fə-lē 

adverb

gleefulness noun

Synonyms of gleeful

• merry
• jolly
• festive
• cheerful

Examples of gleeful in a Sentence

the gleeful atmosphere that envelops the host city of the Super Bowl

Recent Examples on the Web

Mitchell’s own imitation of Spielbergian life, despite its meticulous re-creation (and gleeful destruction) of eighties suburbia, stumbles into an uncanny valley between sincerity and cynicism, between unintentional comedy and deliberate homage. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026

The gleeful melodies of the church choir practicing next door seeped in. — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2026

Both gleeful gore and anachronistic music have been part of Lizzie Borden pop-culture lore before. — Dan Medeiros, USA Today, 4 Aug. 2026

Caught between a defensive line of fans, an array of worried and/or triggered observers, and people dressing their gleeful critiques of a woman’s body in the guise of concern, Grande interjects some of the slowest, somberest music of her career. — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 3 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1586, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for gleeful

• refill