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
  • Sagittarius November 22 – December 21 Your goals can hold more joy with the right adjustment.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The scenes radiate the joy of being young, attractive, and filled with infinite free time and minimal distractions except the open sky above you.
    — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of joy
Noun
  • The poetry of this movie, in short, is in Dafoe, who gives his finest performance in years—a long trek from bliss to despair to disillusionment, and finally to the odd contentment and consolation that disillusionment often brings.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2026
  • While there’s no direct translation in English, this cornerstone of Danish culture describes a feeling of coziness and contentment.
    — Yerin Kim, InStyle, 27 July 2026
Definition of contentment
Noun
  • Researchers scanned dogs’ brains while the pooches looked at images of human facial expressions depicting happiness, sadness, anger and fear.
    — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Pregnancy, like family happiness, is meant to look a certain way.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of happiness
Noun
  • The survey revealed that when parents evaluate family-friendly retail and experiences, fun and enjoyment (68 percent) and spending time together (66 percent) ranked higher than price and affordability (60 percent).
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Audiences will likely get more out of it if they’re caught up on the entire franchise, but that is not required for enjoyment and understanding.
    — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of enjoyment
Noun
  • Many people obtain great pleasure from pickleball, tennis, golf and other pursuits that combine physical fitness with socialization.
    — Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Prepare for a generous helping of pleasures at the dim sum table.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of pleasure
Noun
  • Redefining success based on present values can reveal greater satisfaction and prevent unnecessary further career shifts, suggesting the issue often lies in the standard of evaluation, not the job itself.
    — Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • But between navigating selective palates, food allergies, social media-worthy lunchbox inspiration, food noise, and the inevitable comparisons with classmates, striking a balance between sustenance and satisfaction can quickly become overwhelming.
    — Sierra Leone Starks, Parents, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of satisfaction
Noun
  • But that’s not the reality for many content creators, who are working on media production, audience retention strategies, brand partnerships and business relationships associated with their online presence.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Top podcaster Alex Cooper’s beverage business is shutting down, demonstrating the challenges online creators often have in diversifying their work away from content.
    — Ashley Carman, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of content
Noun
  • There’s a nice localised touch via a railway footbridge on the approach depicting the highs of Southampton’s football history and the delights of the city centre, particularly Oxford Street, can be enjoyed before strolling on to the match.
    — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • That said, books are still a hugely important part of my life and a delight.
    — Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of delight

Browse Nearby Words

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 16 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on gladness

Nglish: Translation of gladness for Spanish Speakers

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