1
as in joy
a feeling or state of well-being and contentment
felt nothing but gladness at seeing her best friend beat her out for the award
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in contentment
the feeling experienced when one's wishes are met
the children's gladness was evident as they opened their Christmas presents
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gladness
May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.
—
Abigail Van Buren, Boston Herald, 17 Mar. 2026
Hazel shrugged, but Lilian could see her gladness at being asked.
—Yiyun Li, New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2026
Over time in Middle English, myrth(e) narrowed to mean joy, amusement, or gladness, often expressed in laughter and festivity.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
Abigail Van Buren, Boston Herald, 17 Mar. 2026
Hazel shrugged, but Lilian could see her gladness at being asked.
—Yiyun Li, New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2026
Over time in Middle English, myrth(e) narrowed to mean joy, amusement, or gladness, often expressed in laughter and festivity.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gladness
Noun
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Through this deceptively simple framework, Hiraide delivers a poetic and poignant meditation on the passage of time, the meaning of work and love, and the surprise of finding joy in life’s ephemeral details.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
-
Call it artistic expression, or maybe just a Knicks fan too busy jumping for joy to cut the outtakes.—
Jared Weiss,
New York Times,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
Never mind hygge—this hotel takes Danish comfort and contentment to new heights.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
In a world that constantly demands more output, chiropractic offers a disciplined return to function that reminds us that removing interference rather than adding complexity allows contentment to enter our lives.—
Sherry McAllister,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Noun
-
Part of the reason is that what constitutes happiness in one part of the world won’t necessarily translate to another.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2026
-
Wednesday’s big money Florida Lottery draw games — Powerball, Fantasy 5, Florida Lotto — produced extreme financial happiness for players at a Miami grocery chain and Florida’s signature supermarket chain.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
There’s an offer to retrieve the fruit to prepare it for easier enjoyment.—
Carrie Bell,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
-
Children and parents alike can expect a day of wild education – perhaps culminating in taking home their own leafy guy or gal, to provide endless hours of meat-eating enjoyment this summer.—
Randy McMullen,
Mercury News,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
Interview With the Vampire was already one of the most balls-to-the-wall, out-there shows on TV, and The Vampire Lestat requires full attention and both sides of your brain to reap the most pleasure.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
7 June 2026
-
Because vomiting is in some ways the greatest offense to gustatory pleasure.—
Lauren Michele Jackson,
New Yorker,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
Build a predictable referral engine using ChatGPT by first checking in with happy customers to ensure satisfaction and open the door for requests.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
-
The Breadwinner is aiming to recapture the satisfaction of going to see a three-out-of-five-star movie, offering decent laughs in an inoffensive package.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
5 June 2026
Noun
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The creation of this content included the use of AI based on templates created, reviewed and edited by journalists in the newsroom.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
12 June 2026
-
This article was created by content specialists using various tools, including AI.—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
This strange delight of a novel could easily be the next Gypsy.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
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The singer-actor who’s the face of Creme of Nature haircare company was spotted in two neighborhoods to the delight of her fans.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gladness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gladness. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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