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
Relevance
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
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.
Recent Examples of gladness
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
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
-
There are few things that bring me pure, inexplicable joy.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
-
For its grand opening party on March 14, this fusion of Southern joy, community, and crispy chicken will offer a free sandwich or nugs to the first 100 customers.—
Abigail Wilt,
Southern Living,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Their contentment and their connection is undeniable.—
John E. Green,
Time,
1 Feb. 2026
-
The most common feelings reflected contentment rather than passion.—
Christine Zhang,
New York Times,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
We're all endowed with the same inalienable rights to life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The company's 2025 European Life-Work Balance Index evaluated each country based on factors such as sick and paid maternity leave, healthcare, annual leave, public safety and happiness, LGBTQ+ inclusivity, and average hours worked.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
And could an impact on the reward circuitry in the brain have an effect on everyday enjoyment of life, desire and positive-risk-taking?—
Meg Tirrell,
CNN Money,
4 Mar. 2026
-
That reaction — genuine, visceral enjoyment from someone who evaluates food professionally — is about as strong an endorsement as an improvised pita sandwich can get.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
When the sun sinks below the horizon, nothing beats the retro pleasure of a movie under the twinkling stars.—
Zoey Goto,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
-
In the end, his sheer inattention to your pleasure was what made the decision for you.—
Addie Citchens,
New Yorker,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Kornet bounced from team to team and nearly out of the league, desperate to recover the sense of satisfaction that came from sinking shot after shot.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Oh, and there’s no prize, except the quiet satisfaction of a job well done.—
The Athletic UK Staff,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The creation of this content included the use of AI based on templates created, reviewed and edited by journalists in the newsroom.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Mar. 2026
-
The public announcement did not provide details on what officials would be specifically looking for in the reviews or what types of content would be deemed disqualifying.—
BrieAnna J. Frank,
USA Today,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Follow delight by letting creativity lead!—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Dobbins is a delight to watch and even more fun to talk to.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gladness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gladness. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
