delightful
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of delightful
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.
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.
A solo show that Greenspan himself performed at Atlantic Theatre Company, this eccentric play was one of the most unexpectedly delightful works I read all year.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
The cocktail was America’s first great culinary innovation, Peter Suderman explains in this delightful essay.
From Slate ● Jul. 1, 2026
Cut a dawdling fight scene here and an interminable escape scene there, and the film would make a delightful in-universe companion to precede next summer’s “Superman” sequel, “Man of Tomorrow.”
From Salon ● Jun. 27, 2026
The delightful dwelling is a short walk to the Hudson River, a community tennis court, parks, and a market.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 26, 2026
He took this opportunity to show her his work; as it turned out, he had spent the time drawing delightful alpine scenes.
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
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.
