as in thankful
experiencing pleasure, satisfaction, or delight
the news of the child's safe return made us all joyful
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 joyful
Rafael was joyful, observant and servant-hearted, Heather said.
—
Lilly Kersh, Dallas Morning News, 3 Feb. 2026
Those two years in Austin, however, weren’t always joyful.
—Danny Davis, Austin American Statesman, 2 Feb. 2026
Chief among its gatherings is the Festivals Acadiens et Créoles, held each October—a joyful assertion of the region’s French-speaking heritage.
—Phil Thomas, Travel + Leisure, 1 Feb. 2026
Quite possibly the most joyful spot on the island, La Guérite has quickly become a St Barth’s mainstay since opening in spring 2023.
—Molly Barstein, Vogue, 1 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for joyful
Lilly Kersh, Dallas Morning News, 3 Feb. 2026
Those two years in Austin, however, weren’t always joyful.
—Danny Davis, Austin American Statesman, 2 Feb. 2026
Chief among its gatherings is the Festivals Acadiens et Créoles, held each October—a joyful assertion of the region’s French-speaking heritage.
—Phil Thomas, Travel + Leisure, 1 Feb. 2026
Quite possibly the most joyful spot on the island, La Guérite has quickly become a St Barth’s mainstay since opening in spring 2023.
—Molly Barstein, Vogue, 1 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for joyful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for joyful
Adjective
-
Like any other cancer test—hello there, prostate—the technology leaves us feeling thankful but not exactly thrilled.—
Erik German,
Fortune,
15 Feb. 2026
-
My family personally and my business professionally were forced into bankruptcy and are thankful to be on the other side of it.—
Rachel Royster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Bradbury was delighted and stopped to talk.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Both looked delighted to pay tribute to the glittery star of the night.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Indoor and outdoor coastal vibes near San Elijo State Beach, with daily happy-hour deals, are found at Waverly in Cardiff.—
Carlos Rico,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
-
And nowhere is a happier hunting-ground for hikers than the Sierra de Tramuntana.—
Paul Richardson,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
At this point, the Heat would be pleased to come out of the trade deadline with a single All Star caliber player.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
-
The Penguins looked like a team that was rather pleased with itself most of the game, attempting to execute near-impossible passes instead of simply going to work against an Ottawa team very much invested in a blue-collar game.—
Josh Yohe,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Hornsby is sure glad to have him as a teammate.—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Just glad to have this uniform on.—
Matt Schooley,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Because many meals are calorie-controlled, some people may need to add snacks or sides to feel fully satisfied, since meals that are too low in calories or protein may leave you hungry.—
Rita Templeton,
Flow Space,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Downtown businesses are extremely satisfied with the DDA’s performance.—
Delores Rangel,
Sun Sentinel,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The song, which reminds us appreciate the mundane, joyous moments in life, will be a necessary reprise from the politicized chatter surrounding Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show performance.—
Pamela Avila,
USA Today,
5 Feb. 2026
-
The end of Ramadan is marked by a joyous celebration called Eid al-Fitr.—
Lianna Norman,
Florida Times-Union,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Joyful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/joyful. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
