joy

noun

\ ˈjȯi

Definition of joy

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires : delight

b : the expression or exhibition of such emotion : gaiety

2 : a state of happiness or felicity : bliss

3 : a source or cause of delight

joy

verb

joyed; joying; joys

Definition of joy (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

: to experience great pleasure or delight : rejoice

transitive verb

1 archaic : gladden

2 archaic : enjoy

Other Words from joy Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about joy

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of joy in a Sentence

Noun

Their sorrow turned to joy. I can hardly express the joy I felt at seeing her again. Seeing her again brought tears of joy to my eyes. The flowers are a joy to behold! What a joy it was to see her again.

Verb

the whole town is joying in the fact that its oldest church has been restored to its Victorian splendor

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Namely, how was Drogon smart enough to know the Iron Throne was the source of all of Dany's joy and pain? — Julie Kosin, Harper's BAZAAR, "Game of Thrones: Drogon Destroyed the Iron Throne and Twitter Has Thoughts," 20 May 2019 Treehouse architecture is both fascinating and whimsical, a harkening to the joys and nostalgia of childhood. — Megan Barber, Curbed, "You can buy this tiny treehouse shaped like a pinecone," 11 Dec. 2018 But even around our 10Best street route there's joy in whomping around an empty set of curves at sane speeds, using but a tiny slice of the available grip. — Car and Driver, "2019 10Best Cars," 28 Nov. 2018 As the final sign, Pisces has absorbed every lesson — the joys and the pain, the hopes and the fears — learned by all of the other signs. — Aliza Kelly Faragher, Allure, "Each Zodiac Sign's Unique Personality Traits, Explained by an Astrologer," 28 Oct. 2018 Scenes of joy and jubilation would be guaranteed to follow – in England at least. — Martin Rogers, USA TODAY, "Why 'Brits' don't support England at the World Cup," 9 July 2018 Art, for Hussainy, is therapy, joy and shared humanity. — Libby Solomon, baltimoresun.com, "'No one can stop me': Afghan artist Sughra Hussainy on women's rights and change through art," 3 July 2018 Until such systems are in place, scientists are left to deal with the joys and challenges of lower-carbon travel on their own. — Mejs Hasan, WIRED, "New University Rules Encourage Scientists to Avoid Air Travel," 3 July 2018 One of the joys of being a sound designer is creating an off-screen world, and the trash monster is a great example. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "The Real World Stuff Behind Star Wars' Iconic Sounds," 3 Apr. 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Part of reversing that fear is getting families to steadily recall memories, tastes, and other sensations that gave their sons and daughters joy or comfort in youth. — Fox News, "Confessions of a former jihadist recruiter who now deradicalizes potential terrorists," 3 May 2018 There are three ways to get involved: Wear PINK in Holly’s honor Make a plan to share hugs and spread love & joy through random acts of heartfelt kindness for those in your community. — Jeff Zrebiec, baltimoresun.com, "The Heap family is asking you to honor the memory of their daughter Wednesday," 2 May 2017

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