joy 1 of 2

noun

ˈjȯi How to pronounce joy (audio)
Definition of joynext
1
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
2
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
Parents know the joy of the first ultrasound scan of their babies. — Robert Lea, Space.com, 30 Sep. 2026 Related Stories Cruise, declaiming every line, acting with blind bluster and a mean gleam of good-ol’-boy joy, makes Digger a walking cartoon — a larger-than-life satire of over-the-top American arrogance, like LBJ crossed with Foghorn Leghorn. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 29 Sep. 2026 There’s so much joy, playfulness, but also a strong sense of sentimentality. — Laure Guilbault, Vogue, 29 Sep. 2026 Putting the city to paper was its own journey, but Painter faced some unexpected joys throughout the writing process. — Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for joy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for joy
  1. happiness
  2. delight
  3. glory
  4. bliss
  5. pleasure
  6. triumph
  7. treat
  8. feast
Noun
  • Appearing alongside his band and several back-up singers, Flowers gave a rousing performance of the country ballad, which reflects on whether money can buy happiness.
    — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Vacation photos emphasize happiness even when the experience was stressful.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of happiness
Noun
  • The senior receiver made a game-winning, one-handed catch on fourth-and-goal for the Eagles in the closing seconds — and much to the delight of senior quarterback Sean Ruisz.
    — Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Cranston leaned into the theatrics, drilling into the bone to the delight of onlookers.
    — Melinda Sheckells, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 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
  • In the song, Swift apologizes to an ex for neglecting his feelings, comparing the bliss of a rebound relationship to the excitement of drug users post-withdrawal in recovery, where the term in the title originates.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026
  • For best results, pair the below bad boys with a specialized orthotic insert that will further amplify your podiatric bliss.
    — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of bliss
Noun
  • This is even more true at Rumari Counter, a new experience with comfy stools for up to 10 diners per night who get the pleasure of eating a prix-fixe meal that will never be prepared again (the counter menu changes nightly).
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Oct. 2026
  • As with previous models, the overall experience is a pleasure for both work and play, particularly with the Liquid Retina display and responsive keyboard.
    — Cierra Cowan, PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of pleasure
Verb
  • The luncheon is designed to celebrate individuals who have triumphed over addiction.
    — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Roger Federer at the 2017 Australian Open After a nearly five-year Grand Slam drought and a right knee injury, Federer triumphed at the 2017 Australian Open at 35 years and 5 months old.
    — Nasha Smith, PEOPLE, 13 Sep. 2026
Definition of triumph
Noun
  • Jocelyn Bioh’s School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play isn’t a musical, but about two-thirds of the way through, there’s a sing-off that’s both a gleeful showstopper and a wry metatheatrical treat.
    — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2026
  • There is also a tea party room serving a variety of sweet treats inspired by the book, including cakes representing a white rabbit, a red rose and a mushroom.
    — K.J. Yossman, Variety, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of treat
Noun
  • The hotel’s gourmet restaurant, Glicine, now has a Michelin star, and the breakfasts, which were already a memorable feast, are even more so now.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Trash cans filled with food scraps are a welcome feast for household pests like roaches, flies, and ants, but a countertop compost bin is a simple way to stop attracting them in the first place.
    — Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of feast

Browse Nearby Words

jovially
joy
joyed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Joy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/joy. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on joy

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about joy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

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

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Oct. 2

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name tags
Words Named After People Quiz Find out who’s behind "leotard," "morphine," an...
See All