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
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
Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gladness
Noun
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Each volunteer visit is designed to bring joy and advocate for therapy animals, which includes addressing misconceptions.—
Kelli Bender,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
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Growing for decades on the Russ family’s upstate property, the grand tree has been an integral part of the family’s milestones, but the longtime New Yorkers can’t wait to share its joy with the world.—
Rachel Chang,
Travel + Leisure,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
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More than anyone, Resh Lakish would have been entitled to look back on a life of personal transformation and learning with great contentment.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
25 Oct. 2025
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Chasing status, wealth, or others’ approval with your money almost always undermines independence and contentment.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Because a sizable portion of the white population sought to pursue their happiness by acquiring land occupied by Native Americans.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
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Watching golf bring people happiness brought him happiness, and that infectious personality was felt by everyone who met him.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In almost every case, those who took photos reported greater levels of enjoyment.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
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Powered by a torquey 999cc liquid cooled, parallel-twin, four-stroke engine, with a Unicam cylinder head, the 5-seater Pioneer 1000 is specifically designed for fun in the sun, honey-do lists around the house, weekend trail enjoyment and even family outings with friends.—
Marc D. Grasso,
Boston Herald,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Survive a series of hedonistic trials and be rewarded with an endless lifetime of pleasure; fail, and be offered as a sacrifice to the gods.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
29 Oct. 2025
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While the original line was built for industry, pleasure excursions resumed 59 years ago, allowing visitors to experience the same scenic route at a more leisurely pace.—
Kristine Hansen,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Both sides think more like lawyers than historians, deriving their satisfaction from scoring points as advocates for their respective clients.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
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For current renters who dream of owning a home, Calesa Township’s lease satisfaction program will help make the transition from renting to owning as smooth as possible.—
Calesa Township,
Miami Herald,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Balloon Balloon Balloon is fun for you, too — a sheer delight for any fan of homemade guitar pop.—
Simon Vozick-Levinson,
Rolling Stone,
29 Oct. 2025
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That's right, Dairy Queen is getting in the holiday spirit with a new menu full of seasonal delights.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Perhaps even the idea of an upscale magazine in the mold of Vanity Fair is simply less meaningful in a contemporary media landscape where celebrities constantly churn out their own content and popular culture is fragmented across a landscape of mid-sized creators.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
3 Nov. 2025
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Physicists were baffled as to why this material would suddenly stop conducting current once the tellurium content reached approximately 30 percent—a change that its basic chemical composition could not explain.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gladness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gladness. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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