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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in glee
a mood characterized by high spirits and amusement and often accompanied by laughter
the infectious gleefulness that permeates the town during its annual Christmas stroll
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gleeful
Raven Brunner, People.com, 11 Apr. 2025
The same could be said of The Wiggles—their music and performances have become a gleeful rite of passage, with no end in sight.
—Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 8 Apr. 2025
The line had the Barbican audience whooping with irresistible, gleeful laughter.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 4 Apr. 2025
Once the Israelites were safe, Miriam, Moses' sister, led a group of women in gleeful song and dance.
—Holly Rizzuto Palker, Parents, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gleeful
Adjective
The same shining tears fall from their wide, gleeful eyes.
—Raven Brunner, People.com, 11 Apr. 2025
The same could be said of The Wiggles—their music and performances have become a gleeful rite of passage, with no end in sight.
—Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 8 Apr. 2025
The line had the Barbican audience whooping with irresistible, gleeful laughter.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 4 Apr. 2025
Once the Israelites were safe, Miriam, Moses' sister, led a group of women in gleeful song and dance.
—Holly Rizzuto Palker, Parents, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gleeful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gleeful
Adjective
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This merry, bloody, muddy trashing of Arthurian legend returns to theaters May 4 and 7 in a Fathom Entertainment engagement.—
Michael Phillips,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2025
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Five picks later, and Terrance Ferguson might’ve stuck back in Denver, and had a merry reunion with Bo Nix as the Broncos’ matchup-nightmare tight end of the future.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Achieving that would bring not just sporting glee but could also solve many of their financial problems, with the tournament’s new format providing clubs with even more wealth.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2025
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Democrats were generally hiding any glee over their fortune, but some acknowledged the shifting winds.—
Al Weaver,
The Hill,
30 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Crosby released a number of tunes throughout his career that were made perfectly for the jolliest time of the year, and his wins are still coming his way, even decades after his passing.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes,
27 Dec. 2024
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Instead of its usual jolly cartoons, the channel began broadcasting footage of Russian military parades accompanied by music of the Russian nationalist singer Oleg Gazmanov.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Their friendship, and the longevity of working with Neil, made for a festive 7 a.m. start: coffee and makeup/hair in the kitchen while my parents watched our kid.—
Erin Allweiss,
Vogue,
22 Apr. 2025
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Get The Recipe 02 of 30 Christmas Eve Punch Warm spices, fresh winter citrus, and festive cranberries make this big-batch cocktail ready for the holiday season.—
Mary Shannon Wells,
Southern Living,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Use these cheerful, summery spoons to slather jam onto scones or Nutella into crepes.—
Oset Babür-Winter,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
1 May 2025
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Only cheerful younger son Einstein (Evan Ellison), an eccentric, prophetically named genius who has decided to become a champion pole-vaulter, seems happy to see him.—
Robert Lloyd,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gleeful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gleeful. Accessed 6 May. 2025.
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