JOY Synonyms: 121 Similar and Opposite Words

joy 1 of 2

noun

ˈjȯi

Definition of joy

as in happiness

a feeling or state of well-being and contentment the inexpressible joy that the couple are feeling upon the birth of their first child

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in delight

a source of great satisfaction my car is my pride and joy

Synonyms & Similar Words

joy

2 of 2

verb

as in to delight

to feel or express joy or triumph the whole town is joying in the fact that its oldest church has been restored to its Victorian splendor

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 joy

Noun

One great joy had been collecting ticket stubs from concerts, games and other events that a person attended. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 7 Aug. 2026 The joy found in the game fosters enduring relationships outside of it. — Christine Ledbetter, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026 But the young Cash found joy in music, and his mother took in laundry to pay for singing lessons. — Eleni N. Gage, Architectural Digest, 7 Aug. 2026 For Braswell, the winning combination has always been travel and the outdoors, two of her greatest joys. — Nancy Badertscher, AJC.com, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for joy

Recent Examples of Synonyms for joy

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

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

Verb

Messi, at 35, led his country to glory against France, winning soccer’s ultimate prize in a pulsating match that finished 3-3 after extra time and had to be settled by a nerve-wracking penalty shootout.

— Patrick Smith, NBC News, 19 Dec. 2022
If Harris can bring together a family with Indian, African, and Jewish heritage, America can glory in its diversity.

— Fintan O’Toole, The New York Review of Books, 26 Aug. 2020

Definition of glory

Noun

Their bliss never wavered, as the couple got married in 2021 and welcomed their twins Cooper and Maya three years later.

— Adrianne Reece, InStyle, 28 July 2026
Host Cristi, whose dad built the house himself, welcomed us and showed us around the property before leaving us to enjoy the bliss of the place.

— Alessia Armenise, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 July 2026

Definition of bliss

Verb

Oba Femi triumphed over Brock Lesnar in a brutal Hell in a Cell main event in Lesnar's hometown, with Lesnar endorsing Femi post-match.

— Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Within a week, Flaco had triumphed over the doubters who feared that an owl raised in captivity wouldn’t have the strength or stamina to survive in the outside world.

— Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of triumph

Noun

When Odysseus and Penelope’s son, Telemachus (Tom Holland), visits Sparta for information about his father, he’s invited to sit with Menelaus during a wedding feast for his and Helen’s daughter.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 29 July 2026
The stove tells the story of countless family suppers, cooking lessons, holiday feasts, and Sunday pancakes.

— Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 28 July 2026

Definition of feast

Browse Nearby Words

jovially

joy

joyed

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Joy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/joy. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of joy

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on joy

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

anecdote

Popular in Grammar & Usage

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?

Popular

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes