gleeful

adjective

glee·​ful ˈglē-fəl How to pronounce gleeful (audio)
Synonyms of gleefulnext
: full of glee : merry
gleeful laughter
gleefully adverb
gleefulness noun

Examples of gleeful in a Sentence

the gleeful atmosphere that envelops the host city of the Super Bowl
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.
Balancing their orchestrated plans with the spontaneity of a real participant is what gave the series its gleeful tension. Ben Travers, IndieWire, 20 Mar. 2026 Tenacious defense and timely free-throw shooting from David and junior Cooper Ellwood sealed the title for Rock Canyon, as star big Kai Valentine tackled junior Jonah Medina after the buzzer and threw a few gleeful fake punches at his chest. Luca Evans, Denver Post, 15 Mar. 2026 For Armando’s fellow fugitives, who imagine the grisly scene by reading the paper, the story is a gleeful distraction from paranoia and pain. Michael Snyder, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2026 The Masked Singer is a gleeful, genuinely unexpected addition to the reality singing genre, and its popularity with fans is intense. Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gleeful

Word History

First Known Use

1586, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gleeful was in 1586

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Cite this Entry

“Gleeful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gleeful. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.

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