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Synonyms

sunny

American  
[suhn-ee] / ˈsʌn i /

adjective

sunnier, sunniest
  1. abounding in sunshine.

    a sunny day.

  2. exposed to, lighted, or warmed by the direct rays of the sun.

    a sunny room.

  3. pertaining to or proceeding from the sun; solar.

  4. resembling the sun.

  5. cheery, cheerful, or joyous.

    a sunny disposition.


sunny British  
/ ˈsʌnɪ /

adjective

  1. full of or exposed to sunlight

  2. radiating good humour

  3. of or resembling the sun

"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

  • sunnily adverb
  • sunniness noun
  • unsunny adjective

Etymology

Origin of sunny

1250–1300 Middle English; sun, -y 1

Explanation

Sunny means shining with bright sunlight, like a beautiful sunny Saturday at the beach. It can also mean cheerful, like your sunny, upbeat best friend. When the sun is shining, it's a sunny day, and when you're smiling and friendly, you're sunny too. Sunny has been used in this figurative way since the 16th century, and in the 1830s, sunny side came to mean "optimistic outlook." However, if you order your eggs sunny side up, it just means you'll get two fried eggs with bright yellow, runny yolks.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing sunny

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.

I know it was sunny and warm, but I can’t figure out the season in L.A. from that.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

Folan’s sunny personality and unintimidating teaching style normalized yoga for those women—who, in turn, normalized it for their children.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

Tuesday will be a mostly sunny day, especially across England and Wales but cloud will build in Northern Ireland and western Scotland with a few showers.

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026

There will be lots of dry and sunny weather to go with it too.

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026

Not too sunny, not too hot, but tomorrow it’s supposed to thunderstorm.

From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison