joyous

adjective

joy·​ous ˈjȯi-əs How to pronounce joyous (audio)
: joyful
a joyous occasion
a joyous celebration
joyously adverb
joyousness noun

Examples of joyous in a Sentence

a mood of joyous anticipation a joyous crowd eagerly awaiting the countdown to midnight on New Year's Eve
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.
Tuesday, June 17 On this family call, no one was joyous. Talla Mountjoy, Chicago Tribune, 16 July 2025 With the sunset pushed back past 10 p.m., there’s plenty of time to pedal around on a bike, drink natural wine on the waterfront between swims, and take in the effortless cool and always joyous vibes of the country. Liz Provencher, Travel + Leisure, 12 July 2025 Instead, her collages vividly recount a seemingly joyous journey of people with their children and animals, devoid of vulgarity, theft, squalor, and other Roma stereotypes. Melissa Harris, Artforum, 10 July 2025 However jaundiced the perspective of the sole trade reporter in attendance, though, the vibe among the stars on stage and the legions of fans who turned out for the party was purely joyous. Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 30 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for joyous

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of joyous was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Joyous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/joyous. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

joyous

adjective
joy·​ous ˈjȯi-əs How to pronounce joyous (audio)
: feeling, causing, or showing joy : joyful
joyously adverb
joyousness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on joyous

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!