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

Some others face their last two days of work with the jubilant indifference of a senior on the last day of school before summer break. —Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 20 Jan. 2026

As a hip-hop bass drum reverberated from the jubilant visitors locker room Saturday backstage at Moody Center, the host Texas Longhorns had no choice but to take their medicine. —Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 18 Jan. 2026

Moments earlier, celebrations over the 3-2 success against their Clasico rivals saw the entire Barca squad gather around him, the Uruguayan defender repeatedly thrown up into the air by jubilant team-mates who wanted to put him front and centre. —Laia Cervelló Herrero, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026

Johnson roared into a jubilant Bears locker room. —Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 13 Jan. 2026

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