JOYLESS Synonyms: 168 Similar and Opposite Words

joyless

adjective

Definition of joyless

as in unhappy

feeling unhappiness was utterly joyless after his bitter divorce

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 joyless Orifice was designed to be a more warmhearted, interactive answer to the joyless functionality of delivery bots. — Jennifer Byrne, Popular Science, 4 Nov. 2026 Involuntary bumping is more ruthless, denying boarding to passengers in a joyless game of musical plane seats. — Andrea Sachs, Washington Post, 24 Oct. 2026 Don’t let that description suggest a stuffy, joyless evening in the theater – as if anything associated with the endlessly appealing Louis-Dreyfus could ever be joyless. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 18 Oct. 2026 But last year’s 5-7 team too often resembled the joyless Nebraska offenses Frost was supposedly leaving behind. — The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026 His trailblazing act had been reduced to a joyless recitation of his legal entanglements. — Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026 To give up drinking can feel like trading in your exciting, chaotic, heroic existence for a drab and joyless one. — Literary Hub, 13 July 2026 Call it hypocrisy or honesty, either way, Season 3 is a joyless exercise that’s nonetheless an improvement on the wayward Season 2. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 15 June 2026 With its joyless austerity, the dish bears almost no resemblance to actual chicken paprikás, which is boisterous and dense and, crucially, should involve a considerable portion of hearty starches to sop it all up. — Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 14 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for joyless

Adjective

The electorate is frustrated and unhappy Voters were sour heading into Tuesday, with the midterm electorate deeply unhappy with the country’s direction and pessimistic about the future, according to The AP Voter Poll.

— Jill Colvin, Chicago Tribune, 4 Nov. 2026
Voting is the only way out for anyone who’s unhappy with a government headed toward authoritarianism.

— Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of unhappy

Adjective

Anyway, this Jive is unfortunately lacking in both energy and sharp footwork and is generally kind of sad, but Maura and Mark still manage to get 8s.

— Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2026
The company’s intention is probably to leverage nostalgia to build hype for Nintendo’s big launch, but there’s also something a little sad about this.

— Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of sad

Adjective

Celebrated as masterpieces today, at the time they were regarded as the unpolished works of a depressed, crazy man and commercially worthless.

— Joan Martelli, Time, 17 Oct. 2026
In the event of a severe winter or import bottlenecks, depressed storage levels not only narrow Europe's capacity to absorb supply shocks but also risk driving natural gas prices higher.

— , CNBC, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of depressed

Adjective

The victim’s heartbroken father said his son had been bullied by a couple of students at the school who were recently suspended — and believes the bullying may have something to do with Javits’ murder.

— Julian Roberts-Grmela, New York Daily News, 1 Nov. 2026
The death of Sir Patrick Stewart has left Hollywood heartbroken as his co-stars, colleagues, and fellow actors recall rare encounters, days on set, and priceless advice the acting legend shared with them.

— Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of heartbroken

Adjective

The two are fond but sick of each other, at times bickering with real melancholy and malice.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Nov. 2026
Harry still has some of that sparkle, but it’s tempered by melancholy, the aftermath of little mistakes and big ones he’s made along the way.

— Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of melancholy

Adjective

One option for overhauling the committee, according to people familiar with the situation, is broadening its focus beyond China to explore issues related to other bad foreign actors.

— Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 6 Nov. 2026
Phillips caught a bad break when her approach to the green hit a tree branch on its upward flight and dropped 20 yards short of the green.

— Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of bad

Adjective

But the case took a twist when the store received a package containing the watch -- and a handwritten note saying sorry, the Asahi Shimbun newspaper and other media reported on Monday, citing unnamed investigative sources.

— CBS News, CBS News, 3 Nov. 2026
Feeling sorry for this perfectly happy couple, however, was not.

— Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of sorry

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joying

joyless

joylessly

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“Joyless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/joyless. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of joyless

adjective

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