joylessness

noun

as in sadness
a state or spell of low spirits the inescapable joylessness that marred Yuletide celebrations during the war years

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for joylessness
  1. sadness
  2. depression
  3. melancholy
  4. mournfulness
Noun
  • Each new body part is tinged with a bit of pleasure, pushing up against the edges of my sadness and embracing it chummily.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026
  • The Hole Truth And Nothing Butt, telling the story of these Texan wildmen and their real-life moments of brilliance and hilarity, with revelations of profound sadness.
    — Steve Appleford, SPIN, 20 July 2026
Definition of sadness
Noun
  • Yet, despite the dwindling popularity of both alcohol and cigarettes, various cancers, not to mention other serious conditions like diabetes and depression, have all been on the rise—again, especially in young people.
    — Tim Brinkhof, Time, 23 July 2026
  • The stress that police officers experience is associated with higher rates of divorce, alcohol abuse, heart disease, post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.
    — Meg Anderson, NPR, 23 July 2026
Definition of depression
Noun
  • Beneath all the sensuality and beauty, there’s also a lingering melancholy that feels very familiar to me.
    — Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 16 June 2026
  • Don Hertzfeldt occasionally comes to mind for a similarly pervasive mood of questioning, philosophical melancholy.
    — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 12 June 2026
Definition of melancholy
Noun
  • Power Ballad should be breezy and fun, with that twist of mournfulness that Carney is always so adept at pulling off.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 29 May 2026
Definition of mournfulness
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.

Browse Nearby Words

joylessly
joylessness
joyous
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Cite this Entry

“Joylessness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/joylessness. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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