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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These days, Evan finds some joy with his parents’ dog, a Mini Aussie named Gypsy, which now lives with him.
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The days leading up to his passing were filled with joy, gratitude, peace and acceptance.
Noun
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But do all this with the knowledge of what brings you contentment—and start charting your course now.
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Barefoot in jeans and a T-shirt, the rock legend is the picture of contentment as waves ripple through the pool behind him from a breeze off the Atlantic.
Noun
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But more than ever before, Nouel said, women are shirking the expectations of previous generations and considering all of their options to happiness, instead of staying in relationships that don't serve them.
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Everyone is over the moon with the experience, especially Aesha, who can barely contain her happiness; the night set the bar very high for the rest of the season.
Noun
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Shoppers are reading labels, asking harder questions, and rewarding products that deliver both enjoyment and genuine function.
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The visual accompaniment to the president’s promise of national enjoyment showed two multistory stone arcades running down the length of the Mall—very classical, very retvrn—thronged with crowds.
Noun
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From activewear heroes to beacons of quiet luxury, here are all the labels running their own summer sales right now and the top picks worth grabbing from each (in alphabetical order for your viewing pleasure).
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After learning of an evil rock promoter’s plan to use heavy metal to keep society sedated in a cycle of hedonistic pleasure, a stylish metallic alien arrives on Earth to save humanity and rock out!
Noun
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For example, a recent study found that remote workers coming to the office one day a month increases productivity by 8% and cuts attrition by a third while boosting job satisfaction and improving communication.
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Winners include people and businesses recognized for outstanding service and customer satisfaction.
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.
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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.
Noun
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One of the artists Olivier interviewed, Xang, rapped at blistering decibels to the delight and confusion of a couple hundred stylish black and brown kids.
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By the time Soto picked the ball up and looked toward the infield, Springer was already around third base to score his Little League home run to the delight of the Rogers Centre crowd.
Cite this Entry
“Gladness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gladness. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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