joyless

[joi-lis]

adjective

1. without joy or gladness; unhappy.

   the joyless days of the war.

   Synonyms: miserable, dismal, gloomy, cheerless, sad
   Antonyms: joyous

2. causing no joy or pleasure.

joyless

/ ˈdʒɔɪlɪs /

adjective

1. having or producing no joy or pleasure

Other Word Forms

• joylessly adverb
• joylessness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of joyless¹

First recorded in 1300–50, joyless is from the Middle English word joyles. See joy, -less

Example Sentences

Zalaegerszeg in western Hungary does not get to join the hall of infamy, not after Scotland won a fairly joyless, but wholly professional, behind-closed-doors contest against Belarus.

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There was a Lions tour four years ago but it was a joyless grind in Covid times, so you could argue that Saturday has been eight years in the making and not four.

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It seems joyless and sad, especially for women.

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I agree with Molly Jong-Fast that the tone of non-stop outrage from that era backfired, by making liberals seem joyless and hysterical.

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Fascism is not only joyless but actively committed to the demolition of joy.

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Related Words

• bleak 
• dejected 
• depressing 
• dismal 
• downcast 
• dreary 
• miserable