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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There is no shortage of pundits and fans who say Guardiola’s influence has been a turn-off, claiming the focus on possession and building from the back had sucked the joy, spontaneity and unpredictability out of the Premier League.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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While the angel gets a little jaded having to work a kitchen job and develops a smoking habit, there are moments of sheer joy as Gabriel hits a dance floor and bites into a juicy burger for the first time.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
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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
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In an interview with Classic Bands, Dreja expressed contentment for his career overall.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Meaningful work Having a sense of purpose and believing in your work is a key component to workplace happiness.—
William Vanderbloemen,
CNBC,
13 Oct. 2025
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The Murdaughs' facade of prosperity, love and happiness all starts to crumble after Paul crashes that boat.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
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But Gronnemark is not alone in feeling that an approach geared around set plays, lengthy stoppages and restarts threatens to take a lot of the energy, excitement and enjoyment out of matches.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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Friendships are more about companionship, enjoyment and bonding.—
Athena Aktipis,
The Conversation,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
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This means that in the haunted house, these thrill seekers experience more pleasure and less stress.—
Jennifer Borresen,
USA Today,
15 Oct. 2025
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Its pleasures are so vast and surprising.—
Amanda Petrusich,
New Yorker,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In recent polling by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, satisfaction with Abbas hovers at fifteen per cent, and demand for his resignation is overwhelming.—
Mohammed R. Mhawish,
New Yorker,
14 Oct. 2025
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All the same, there’s a grim satisfaction in seeing exactly how the corruption sets in.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The most responsible way to communicate the delight is to share a few details but leapfrog over their place in the plot and head straight to the mighty conceit that connects them.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
15 Oct. 2025
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The roughly 200-mile stretch through northern Wisconsin is a particular delight, venturing from massive waterfalls (Copper Falls State Park and Pattison State Park) to countless lakes and the pine tunnels of Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.—
Jacqueline Kehoe,
AFAR Media,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Then-Media School Dean James Shanahan rebutted the assertion, saying the school had never sought to influence the paper's content.—
Cate Charron,
IndyStar,
14 Oct. 2025
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Julia Marcum is the founder of Chris Loves Julia, a home renovation content creation and inspiration brand.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gladness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gladness. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.
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