joyous

adjective

ˈjȯi-əs How to pronounce joyous (audio)
Definition of joyousnext
as in thankful
experiencing pleasure, satisfaction, or delight a joyous crowd eagerly awaiting the countdown to midnight on New Year's Eve

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 joyous There’s the recurring omission of pivotal moments — in the last two weeks alone, Mae’s death happens offscreen, as does everyone finding out about it — which is less vexing with tough scenes than joyous ones. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 7 Oct. 2026 There’s joyous color combos, textural delights, and plenty of aesthetic-hopping. — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 6 Oct. 2026 The combination of Rykman's extended jams, psychedelic light show and joyous energy made the concert feel less like simply watching a band perform and more like temporarily stepping away for the normal day-to-day. — Steve Spaleta, Space.com, 3 Oct. 2026 To Browns fans, though, Thursday night also feels like a rare yet joyous moment. — Mike Defabo, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for joyous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for joyous
  1. thankful
  2. delighted
  3. pleased
  4. happy
  5. glad
  6. satisfied
  7. joyful
  8. blissful
Adjective
  • The cousin was thankful, but the Rev got the message that the family didn’t need financial help.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Because in post-Covid times distributors and exhibitors were thankful enough to even hit $8 billion in North America.
    — Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of thankful
Adjective
  • Bell’s clients, the insurers, must have been delighted to have such a keen pair of eyes on their side.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Grace is delighted and titillated by Todd’s speculation, and in the middle of a G7 Summit preparation meeting with Billie and Gannon, quietly asks Hal if Kate is pregnant.
    — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of delighted
Adjective
  • Travis quickly got ready to help, but Swift didn’t seem too pleased.
    — Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Coach Bill Self, who hugged Bidunga shortly before tip, was not pleased with the obscene chants staring into the student section.
    — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of pleased
Adjective
  • As for the happy throng of guests, the dress code was wide open to interpretation, from paillettes to pink marabou.
    — Laura Regensdorf, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The Knicks enter the 2026 season this week as defending NBA champions, as any New Yorker in your life would be happy to remind you.
    — Noah Shachtman, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of happy
Adjective
  • Many rabid fans from other cities would be glad to trade places with them anytime.
    — Ticked Off, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Just glad to be here with you guys and proud to represent one of the best states in the country.
    — Mark Harris OutKick, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of glad
Adjective
  • The judge also directed both parties, including Acosta Torres personally, to appear at a compliance hearing to demonstrate that the requirements had been satisfied.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Those who fall short have to be satisfied with simply gazing at the destination from the parking lot.
    — Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of satisfied
Adjective
  • Life that doesn’t just accept its sentence, but embraces it in joyful reverence?
    — Gabi Abrão, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Two of Kariem’s former students described him as joyful, patient and an inspiration.
    — Karina Tsui, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of joyful
Adjective
  • Treatments follow Thai, Chinese, and Indian healing methods, and the cavernous aqua-therapy lounge with sauna and vitality pool is a blissful hangout after a massage.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The lymphatic drainage–promoting gizmo switches between six temperatures — hot and cold alike — to tighten, boost radiance, and fake nine blissful hours of sleep.
    — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of blissful

Browse Nearby Words

joylessness
joyous
joyously
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Joyous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/joyous. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of milieu

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

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

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

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

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
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
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All