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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in delight
a source of great satisfaction my car is my pride and joy

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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

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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
The absence of sports for all those years is often a driving factor in the joy found when my friends return to the basketball court. — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026 Beneath the lights, movement and familiar songs is a story that finds joy in the everyday while making space for the struggles that shape its characters. — Maya Santiago, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026 The practical half of his book was for those who had lost touch with that joy. — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 12 Aug. 2026 There is a mix of dead seriousness, dry sarcasm, and wondrous joy in equal measure. — Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 12 Aug. 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
  • Researchers scanned dogs’ brains while the pooches looked at images of human facial expressions depicting happiness, sadness, anger and fear.
    — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Pregnancy, like family happiness, is meant to look a certain way.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of happiness
Noun
  • There’s a nice localised touch via a railway footbridge on the approach depicting the highs of Southampton’s football history and the delights of the city centre, particularly Oxford Street, can be enjoyed before strolling on to the match.
    — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • That said, books are still a hugely important part of my life and a delight.
    — Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 12 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
  • Before the whole scene of domestic bliss is cut short, Cruz and Josie discuss their looming irrelevance as human foot soldiers in a future of wars fought by machines, finding brief solace in each other’s out-of-uniform bodies.
    — Andy Andersen, Vulture, 9 Aug. 2026
  • There’s a shot of Banderas biting into a tomato that’s pure bliss for him and us.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of bliss
Noun
  • Many people obtain great pleasure from pickleball, tennis, golf and other pursuits that combine physical fitness with socialization.
    — Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Prepare for a generous helping of pleasures at the dim sum table.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of pleasure
Verb
  • After two jittery routines to start her competition, Claire triumphed with a stick to rocket ahead of Blakely and Carey.
    — Caroline Price, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • And in June, when Andy Burnham triumphed in a by-election on his way to becoming prime minister just a month later, he was flanked in victory by a 6-foot furry fox and a man in superhero spandex.
    — Mark Rice-Oxley, Christian Science Monitor, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of triumph
Noun
  • The seasonal treat will be available in instant-consumable snack-size packs, as well as regular and king-size bars and a six-pack made for sharing.
    — Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The Pikachu treat is a delightful homage to the electric mascot.
    — Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of treat
Noun
  • The 32-year-old is a member of the parish’s Guadalupana committee, which organizes the festivities and prayers around the Virgin of Guadalupe’s feast day every December.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Diba says that the restaurant is often home to big groups, who are there either celebrating an event or simply bringing out friends and family to enjoy a feast.
    — Colin Wrenn, Denver Post, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of feast

Browse Nearby Words

jovially
joy
joyed
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Cite this Entry

“Joy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/joy. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on joy

Nglish: Translation of joy for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about joy

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