1
a
: a feeling of great happiness or pleasure : delight
Seeing you happy gives me such joy.
They were shouting/jumping for joy. [=they shouted/jumped because they were very happy]
b
: the expression or exhibition of such emotion
a gathering full of joy and laughter
2
: a state of great happiness : bliss
wishes of love, joy, and peace for all
3
: a source or cause of delight
The sun is the joy and the sorrow of the people. It destroys their crops while it warms them with the heat they could not live without.—
Maia Wojciechowska
Maia WojciechowskaDiscovering something new is one of the great joys of eating out.—Tim Fish
Tim FishThe old boat was his pride and joy.
The baby is a little bundle of joy.
joyed; joying; joys
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
Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
But the business behind them is far from an oasis of comfort and joy.
—Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 10 Nov. 2025
In one example, a tiny visitor — and her devoted owner — brought joy and color back into a lonely senior’s life.
—Ronnie Li, USA Today, 10 Nov. 2025
Jupiter’s slow dance in Cancer invites you to nurture your inner child and revisit the art forms or love stories that once brought you joy.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 9 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for joy
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Noun
There are results, there is style, but there are other aspects of football that fans derive joy from.
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
But the business behind them is far from an oasis of comfort and joy.
—Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 10 Nov. 2025
In one example, a tiny visitor — and her devoted owner — brought joy and color back into a lonely senior’s life.
—Ronnie Li, USA Today, 10 Nov. 2025
Jupiter’s slow dance in Cancer invites you to nurture your inner child and revisit the art forms or love stories that once brought you joy.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 9 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for joy
Cite this Entry
“Joy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/joy. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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