as in jolly
indicative of or marked by high spirits or good humor
the trip to the amusement park put everyone in a jovial mood
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of jovial
Despite his obvious frustrations after missing Saturday, Durant and his teammates appeared to be in a jovial mood on Monday.
—
William Guillory, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2026
The series opens with Niall’s jovial Scottish wedding.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 21 Apr. 2026
In New Orleans, one of the earliest slammers was a jovial fellow named Damian Labeaud, who, starting in 2010, recruited passengers from the local community with the promise of insurance payouts, then took them hunting on the freeway for a truck.
—Patrick Radden Keefe, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
What gives a being that’s tantamount to a jovial blank slate such staying power?
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for jovial
William Guillory, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2026
The series opens with Niall’s jovial Scottish wedding.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 21 Apr. 2026
In New Orleans, one of the earliest slammers was a jovial fellow named Damian Labeaud, who, starting in 2010, recruited passengers from the local community with the promise of insurance payouts, then took them hunting on the freeway for a truck.
—Patrick Radden Keefe, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
What gives a being that’s tantamount to a jovial blank slate such staying power?
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for jovial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jovial
Adjective
-
Fishing boats sat docked along the pier, bouncing on top of the water like a row of jolly babies.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 May 2026
-
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
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
-
For a splash of color, accessorize with Neous’s cherry-red heeled sandals and Etro’s festive beaded bag.—
Laura Jackson,
Vogue,
14 May 2026
-
The atmosphere is festive, the music lively, and the service on point.—
Essence,
Essence,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
Disrupting the possibility of cheerful solitude is both a stylistic and social shift, disturbing the film’s non-narrative serenity while depicting how dismantling the safety net displaces basic functions onto those least able to bear them.—
Vadim Rizov,
IndieWire,
16 May 2026
-
The care home Marie-Lou runs is a sprawling establishment, with lush, cheerful grounds.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Jovial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jovial. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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