joy

1 of 2

noun

1
a
: the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires : delight
b
: the expression or exhibition of such emotion : gaiety
2
: a state of happiness or felicity : bliss
3
: a source or cause of delight
joyless adjective
joylessly adverb
joylessness noun

joy

2 of 2

verb

joyed; joying; joys

intransitive verb

: to experience great pleasure or delight : rejoice

transitive verb

1
archaic : gladden
2
archaic : enjoy

Examples of joy in a Sentence

Noun Their sorrow turned to joy. I can hardly express the joy I felt at seeing her again. Seeing her again brought tears of joy to my eyes. The flowers are a joy to behold! What a joy it was to see her again. Verb the whole town is joying in the fact that its oldest church has been restored to its Victorian splendor
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Noun
Throughout her campaign, Harris has found better luck with an approach rooted in pragmatism and joy. Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2024 The Festival of Lights taps into our desire for familiar experiences that foster comfort and joy. Jeetendr Sehdev, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
Verb
Make networking, socializing and participating in activities that bring you joy your priorities. Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 29 June 2024 Acevedo’s treatment of magic as an everyday possibility is compelling, but there is also magic in the wonder, surprise, frustrations, and joys the characters experience in their relationships with one another. Nicole Chung, Time, 25 July 2023 See all Example Sentences for joy 

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French joie, from Latin gaudia, plural of gaudium, from gaudēre to rejoice; probably akin to Greek gēthein to rejoice

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of joy was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near joy

Cite this Entry

“Joy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/joy. Accessed 9 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

joy

1 of 2 noun
1
: a feeling of great pleasure or happiness that comes from success, good fortune, or a sense of well-being : gladness
2
: something that gives joy
a joy to behold
joyless adjective
joylessness noun

joy

2 of 2 verb
: to experience joy : rejoice

More from Merriam-Webster on joy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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