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Synonyms

delightful

American  
[dih-lahyt-fuhl] / dɪˈlaɪt fəl /

adjective

  1. giving great pleasure or delight; highly pleasing.

    a delightful surprise.
    Synonyms:
    delectable, enchanting, charming, enjoyable, pleasurable, pleasant, agreeable
    Antonyms:
    disagreeable
delightful British  
/ dɪˈlaɪtfʊl /

adjective

  1. giving great delight; very pleasing, beautiful, charming, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • delightfully adverb
  • delightfulness noun
  • undelightful adjective
  • undelightfully adverb

Etymology

Origin of delightful

First recorded in 1520–30; delight + -ful

Explanation

Anything delightful causes pleasure or joy. For most people, watching a puppy play is delightful. Delight is a strong positive emotion. We feel delight when something entertains or pleases us very much. Such things can be called delightful. After weeks of cold weather, a sunny day is delightful. Making a new friend is delightful. Going to see an exciting or hilarious movie is delightful. A good cup of coffee can be delightful. This word can apply to almost anything you enjoy a lot. People who find lots of things delightful are generally pretty happy.

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But if she is a delightful, gritty inspiration to some, Moses has always been an overrated “primitive” kept aloft by a winning backstory to others, including many art-world gatekeepers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

The actor, 86, finds the revelation delightful, triggering a hint of whimsical glee reminiscent of Gandalf himself.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

Then she shares a delightful, fact-based piece of trivia like, “Hey, did you know that rats giggle when you tickle them?”

From Salon • Apr. 5, 2026

The 20-minute film follows a duo who form an unlikely friendship and is a delightful meditation on the importance of connecting with another human being.

From Barron's • Mar. 4, 2026

“What made you stay away so long?” she asked presently, finding it so pleasant to ask confidential questions and get delightful answers that she could not keep silent.

From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.