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
  • But of course, that ability to travel with ease—and joy—comes with a foolproof list of travel accessories to make the journey as smooth as humanly possible.
    — Alexandra Domrongchai, Travel + Leisure, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The joys and thrill of the FIFA World Cup may have come to a close last month, but the passion and camaraderie developed through soccer don’t have to end.
    — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of joy
Noun
  • 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
  • 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
Definition of contentment
Noun
  • In the past decade or so, happiness rates have declined precipitously for unmarried adults—regardless of education level—much more so than for those who are married, Yifeng Wan, a researcher at the University of Virginia, has found.
    — Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Despite the middling score in the economic category, WalletHub’s analysis surmised that Fremont’s happiness is bolstered by its high share (nearly 80%) of households with an income above $75,000.
    — Bay Area News Group, Mercury News, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of happiness
Noun
  • Indeed, some might suggest that asset protection planning is the science or art of separating clients from their assets while still allowing those clients the beneficial use and enjoyment of those assets.
    — Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The lawsuit requests damages of $10 million for past and future physical injuries, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life.
    — Madison Lambert, NBC news, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of enjoyment
Noun
  • These and many other TV shows and movies await your viewing pleasure this weekend, and this list has them all.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • More often, though, the mood is more one of resignation to a hardscrabble existence that also has its pleasures.
    — Alison Herman, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of pleasure
Noun
  • Real Madrid's friendly against Fiorentina ended in a 2-2 draw, with coach Jose Mourinho expressing satisfaction despite the result.
    — Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • There’s also an employee-satisfaction element to Ikea’s program.
    — Claire Zillman, Fortune, 30 July 2026
Definition of satisfaction
Noun
  • Gastélum posted similar content on his Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube accounts, which together had more than 1 million followers.
    — Rey Rodríguez, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Features like autoplay, infinite scroll and algorithmic content recommendations have been the prime targets of legal arguments that social media platforms are designed to be addictive.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of content
Noun
  • When the Valkyries compete along the shore of the San Francisco Bay’s Central Basin, there is a sort of exaggerated delight that sets the mood apart.
    — Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
  • When temperatures eventually dip, Shah likes keeping an extra blanket in the car—a place where many babies do their best napping, much to their parents’ delight.
    — Vy Yang, Architectural Digest, 4 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 9 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on gladness

Nglish: Translation of gladness for Spanish Speakers

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