jubilant

adjective

ju·​bi·​lant ˈjü-bə-lənt 

: feeling or expressing great joy : exultant

the jubilant winner

jubilantly adverb

Synonyms of jubilant

• triumphant
• ecstatic
• proud
• exultant

Examples of jubilant in a Sentence

the nominee's jubilant acceptance speech before the cheering crowd

Recent Examples on the Web

On Academy Street, taken over by Dominicans, the Fourth translated into a jubilant handful of families and neighbors on each stretch of sidewalk, with speakers, folding chairs, and beer bottles at the foot of stern buildings. —Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025

To that end, the mood outside the concert in Madrid for the opening night of the tour was jubilant. —Daniel Dylan Wray, Pitchfork, 5 Nov. 2025

Outside, Mamdani’s supporters filled the streets—young, jubilant, chanting about housing justice and a new kind of politics. —Nik Popli, Time, 5 Nov. 2025

Following their significant losses in the 2024 presidential election, Democrats were jubilant when election results came in for their candidates in Virginia, New Jersey, and New York City late Tuesday. —David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 5 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin jūbilant-, jūbilans, present participle of jūbilāre "to let out whoops, invoke with shouts" (Late Latin, "sing hymns of joy, be joyous"), from *jū, jō, exclamation expressing strong emotion + -bilāre, as in sībilāre "to hiss"; *jū going back to Indo-European *i̯ū, whence also Middle High German jū, jūch, exclamation of joy, jūchezen "to rejoice," Old Icelandic ýla "to howl," Greek iȳ́, exclamation of amazement, iȳ́zein "to shout, yell"

Note: The meaning of the Late Latin verb has been influenced by jūbilaeus jubilee entry 1, which itself has been influenced formally by jūbilāre.

First Known Use

1667, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

jubilant

adjective

ju·​bi·​lant ˈjü-bə-lənt 

: feeling or expressing great joy : exultant

jubilant teammates celebrating their victory

jubilantly adverb