as in merry
indicative of or marked by high spirits or good humor
the gleeful atmosphere that envelops the host city of the Super Bowl
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gleeful
Santat’s illustrations begin with straightforward, muted sincerity and become brighter, busier, and more gleeful—filling every corner of the page—as Sharpson’s narrator becomes ever more unhinged, ranting about fish spies, fish disguises, and fish taking over the world.
—
Elise Broach, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
The aggressive tactics of the agents and the gleeful social media posts by DHS accusing protesters of serious crimes, Fishman said, affect people’s willingness to publicly challenge the mass deportation policies.
—A.c. Thompson, ProPublica, 14 Apr. 2026
O’Brien, 86, is a gleeful raconteur who has worked as a director in the theater since the 1960s, picking up four Tony Awards along the way, including for Hairspray, and has enough anecdotes to fill at least two memoirs.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 6 Apr. 2026
Balancing their orchestrated plans with the spontaneity of a real participant is what gave the series its gleeful tension.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gleeful
Elise Broach, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
The aggressive tactics of the agents and the gleeful social media posts by DHS accusing protesters of serious crimes, Fishman said, affect people’s willingness to publicly challenge the mass deportation policies.
—A.c. Thompson, ProPublica, 14 Apr. 2026
O’Brien, 86, is a gleeful raconteur who has worked as a director in the theater since the 1960s, picking up four Tony Awards along the way, including for Hairspray, and has enough anecdotes to fill at least two memoirs.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 6 Apr. 2026
Balancing their orchestrated plans with the spontaneity of a real participant is what gave the series its gleeful tension.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gleeful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gleeful
Adjective
-
The picture’s eclectic cast, which included Anouk Aimée, Greta Scacchi and Maximilian Schell (with cameos by Faye Dunaway, Holly Hunter and Jeff Goldblum), swirled its merry way across the grand event in search of romance, fame and the ever-elusive movie deal.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
-
But in the cycling ecosystem, the Rockets are still minnows, a bunch of merry men with a camera — up against teams funded by international business conglomerates and nation states.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
9 May 2026
Adjective
-
The neighborhood Neighboring St Moritz was adopted in the 19th century by all those jolly-hockey-stick Brits, who introduced skiing and tobogganing, but little Sils Maria has always been more cerebral.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Of course, even for me there were still some jolly moments.—
Christine Smallwood,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Production recently wrapped in Detroit, Michigan, with a plan to release during the 2026 festive season after a festival run.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
8 May 2026
-
The festival is broken into two halves, with an Intermission Party in between, featuring festive food, creative opportunities, and music, offering a chance to mingle with the artists and fellow guests amid the beauty of the farm.—
News Release,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
Behind all the cheerful fanfare, holidays can be bitter pills to swallow, reminders of absence and lack and an inability to live up to all that happy hyperbole.—
Felicia Feaster,
AJC.com,
9 May 2026
-
The speakers were agency veterans from the shrunken regional office who did their best to be cheerful.—
E. Tammy Kim,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gleeful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gleeful. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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