happiness

noun hap·pi·ness \ ˈha-pē-nəs \

Definition of happiness

1 obsolete :good fortune :prosperity

all happiness bechance to thee
—William Shakespeare

2 a :a state of well-being and contentment :joy

b :a pleasurable or satisfying experience

I wish you every happiness in life.

I had the happiness of seeing you
—W. S. Gilbert

3 :felicity, aptness

a striking happiness of expression

See happiness defined for English-language learners

See happiness defined for kids

Examples of happiness in a Sentence

They made a toast to long life and happiness.
her happiness was complete when she got her very own house

Recent Examples of happiness from the Web

Mitzvah clowns have a tradition of getting dressed up wildly and bringing happiness to senior homes and children's hospitals to fulfill the Jewish mitzvah (commandment) of bikur cholim (visiting the sick).

— randall p. lieberman, Jewish Journal, "Group follows Jewish tradition of clowning," 11 Aug. 2017
Without you, the last nine years would not have been filled with the happiness and laughter that made us keep going.

— michele parente, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Gaslamp's Bice closing today," 2 Aug. 2017
For many, the beach is a place of happiness and calm, which contrasts the tension that the families have throughout their weekend.

— m.e. dempsey, The Aegis, "10 years of storytelling in Harford," 1 Aug. 2017
The looks that people like Tracey Cunningham and Kristin Ess whip up are dream-worthy, featuring the unbeatable combo of a salon-fresh blowout, vibrant color, and someone glowing with the happiness of life post-transformation.

— rachel nussbaum, Glamour, "'4D Hair Color' Is the Secret to Highlights That Look Unbelievably Natural," 20 July 2017
Girls Trip’s black female quartet confirms the all-American commitment to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

— armond white, National Review, "Girls Trip and Bronx Gothic: Two Visions of Post-Obama Black Empowerment," 14 July 2017
Spending time in silence, has shown to reduce stress and increase overall happiness and awareness.

— jordi lippe-mcgraw, CNT, "Silent Retreats Are the Latest in Digital Detox Vacations," 13 July 2017
Having finally declared his love for Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) and handed control of his company over to Andre, Lucious was poised for real happiness . . .

— vanityfair.com, "An Exclusive Look at Empire Season 4," 11 July 2017
Occasional stories of happiness and opportunity have surfaced, but the men’s fight to start over has largely been narrated by shame and struggle.

— margie mason, The Seattle Times, "Despite winning freedom, many former fishing slaves struggle," 10 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'happiness.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of happiness

see happy

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

See Words from the same year

happiness Synonyms

Synonyms

beatitude, blessedness, bliss, blissfulness, felicity, gladness, joy, warm fuzzies

Antonyms

calamity, ill-being, misery, sadness, unhappiness, wretchedness

Near Antonyms

agony, anguish, desolation, joylessness, sorrow, sufferance, woe, woefulness; blues, cheerlessness, dejection, depression, desolateness, despondency, disheartenment, dispiritedness, doldrums, downheartedness, gloom, gloominess, melancholy, mournfulness, plaintiveness; Gehenna, hell, purgatory

HAPPINESS Defined for English Language Learners

happiness

noun

Definition of happiness for English Language Learners

: the state of being happy
: an experience that makes you happy

Learn More about happiness

See words that rhyme with happiness Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for happiness Spanish Central: Translation of happiness Nglish: Translation of happiness for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of happiness for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about happiness

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happiness

Definition of happiness

Examples of happiness in a Sentence

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Origin and Etymology of happiness

happiness Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

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HAPPINESS Defined for English Language Learners

happiness

Definition of happiness for English Language Learners

Learn More about happiness

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happiness

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Origin and Etymology of happiness

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HAPPINESS Defined for English Language Learners

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Definition of happiness for English Language Learners

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