joy

1 of 2

noun

1
a
: 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
joyless adjective
joylessly adverb
joylessness noun

joy

2 of 2

verb

joyed; joying; joys

intransitive verb

: to experience great pleasure or delight : rejoice

transitive verb

1
archaic : gladden
2
archaic : enjoy

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
Put your energy into what makes sense and will bring the highest returns or the most joy. Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024 Another standout aspect: The spa has lots of interesting practitioners, including joy coaches, traditional numerology shamans and dance teachers, and a resident Balinese spiritual healer who can guide you in a customary practice in the privacy of his own home. Annie Daly, Robb Report, 8 Mar. 2024 Sentiments focused on spreading LGBTQ+ inclusion and joy not solely within the community, but universally are genuinely heartening and ultimately the authentic grounding force to the more fantastical elements. Courtney Howard, Variety, 7 Mar. 2024 Sheer Mag – Playing Favorites (Third Man) Even at capacity, there’s room for joy at the dive bar. Linnie Greene, SPIN, 6 Mar. 2024 Since my elementary school days, movement has become a source of joy in my life. Danielle Friedman, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2024 But her infectiously giddy stage show is all about joy, not brutalism. Chris Willman, Variety, 25 Feb. 2024 As an actor, singer, director and writer, Streisand has brought joy to audiences around the world for decades. Alli Rosenbloom, CNN, 24 Feb. 2024 His presence brought an irreplaceable joy and laughter to the set, and his absence is deeply felt by all of us. Rory Appleton, The Indianapolis Star, 23 Feb. 2024
Verb
Acevedo’s treatment of magic as an everyday possibility is compelling, but there is also magic in the wonder, surprise, frustrations, and joys the characters experience in their relationships with one another. Nicole Chung, Time, 25 July 2023 In Rachel Kushner’s essay collection, The Hard Crowd, specifically the titular essay, there is an ode to joy near the beginning. Harper's BAZAAR, 31 Jan. 2023 Before long, her videos were the ones bringing people joy. Ineye Komonibo, refinery29.com, 9 Dec. 2022 But also to joy in and record the astonishment—inner and outer. Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 1 Jan. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'joy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French joie, from Latin gaudia, plural of gaudium, from gaudēre to rejoice; probably akin to Greek gēthein to rejoice

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of joy was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near joy

Cite this Entry

“Joy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/joy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

joy

1 of 2 noun
1
: a feeling of great pleasure or happiness that comes from success, good fortune, or a sense of well-being : gladness
2
: something that gives joy
a joy to behold
joyless adjective
joylessness noun

joy

2 of 2 verb
: to experience joy : rejoice

More from Merriam-Webster on joy

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