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.
Dratch also continued to giggle through lines for the rest of the sketch, and her occasional pauses to get her bearings were met with joyous applause from the SNL audience. Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Oct. 2025 At night, as the temperature cools, Dahlia’s warms up into a joyous watering hole for locals and visitors alike, with the quieter overflow lounging in the secondary Moss Bar next door, which takes on a more masculine energy with its green walls and taxidermy decor. Elise Taylor, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2025 But nothing like this joyous singalong, as 30 years of hurt really did seem to be at an end. Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025 The final full Black Sabbath concert in 2017 wasn’t a joyous occasion to Ozzy because Bill Ward wasn’t there. Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 7 Oct. 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 14 Oct. 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!