gladness

noun

Definition of gladnessnext
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

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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gladness
  1. joy
  2. contentment
  3. happiness
  4. enjoyment
  5. pleasure
  6. satisfaction
  7. content
  8. delight
Noun
  • Joy of living, the joy of playing on the beach, the joy of going to prom.
    — Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
  • Several former players wondered aloud if the memory of the coffee is directly linked to the joy of the times.
    — Alec Lewis, New York Times, 24 July 2026
Definition of joy
Noun
  • But do all this with the knowledge of what brings you contentment—and start charting your course now.
    — Scott Snider, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
  • 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.
    — Jeff Nelson, PEOPLE, 17 June 2026
Definition of contentment
Noun
  • This accessible, free resource offers a tangible happiness boost, requiring minimal effort and providing an important emotional lift precisely when it's most needed.
    — Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
  • Women are selfish, pundits argue, prioritizing their careers and personal happiness over having families.
    — Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 20 July 2026
Definition of happiness
Noun
  • No one forces us to perform the role, the financial rewards for those who make the international list are considerable, and for the most part the enjoyment found on the field makes up for the plentiful aggro off it.
    — Graham Scott, New York Times, 23 July 2026
  • Under long-standing gift tax principles, gifts that postpone the beneficiary’s present use or enjoyment are typically treated as gifts of a future interest.
    — Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of enjoyment
Noun
  • Paramount+ delivered the main full trailer for season 4 on June 15, 2026, and it’s packed with dinosaurs, cowboys, horses, space storms, dreams, nightmares, fire-breathing dragons, haunted spaceships, and hallucinatory pleasure planets.
    — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 23 July 2026
  • And while this author might be hung up on the obstacles Odysseus encounters, his travels are not without pleasure and thrill.
    — Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 23 July 2026
Definition of pleasure
Noun
  • Joe Raedle | Getty Images American might be behind in its premium game, but Isom said customer satisfaction scores are rising.
    — Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 19 July 2026
  • As the genre’s name suggests, country music tends to be preoccupied with place; the charts are full of tributes to the satisfaction of being firmly rooted in a small town, and the sorrows of leaving it behind.
    — Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 19 July 2026
Definition of satisfaction
Noun
  • Now protesters are using that same platform to mock his administration, ridicule pro-government television news coverage, transform confrontation with police into viral content and seize control of the online narrative.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 July 2026
  • The contents of the sixth chapter were initially Baraitot, oral teachings passed down alongside the Mishnah.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 July 2026
Definition of content
Noun
  • Oskar’s artistic selections over his tenure have brought undeniable delight to audiences of all ages.
    — Greg Evans, Deadline, 22 July 2026
  • Offering a balance of tang, savoriness and effervescence that is sure to surprise and delight.
    — Jess Fleming, Twin Cities, 21 July 2026
Definition of delight

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gladly
gladness
glad rags
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Cite this Entry

“Gladness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gladness. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of gladness for Spanish Speakers

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