- present participle of rejoice.
rejoicing
Americannoun
-
the act of a person who rejoices.
- Synonyms:
- merrymaking, celebration
-
the feeling or the expression of joy.
-
Often rejoicings. an occasion for expressing joy.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of rejoicing
Middle English word dating back to 1325–75; see origin at rejoice, -ing 1
Explanation
Rejoicing is celebration or festivity. There will be great rejoicing when your favorite cousin comes home after his three years away in the Peace Corps. You can use the word rejoicing as a noun, to mean jubilation and joy, or as an adjective to mean "joyful." A rejoicing crowd is full of happiness and cheer, and a rejoicing child might jump up and down with excitement. Rejoicing comes from the verb rejoice, which is rooted in the Old French word rejoir, a combination of the intensive re and joir, "be glad."
Vocabulary lists containing rejoicing
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.
There was much rejoicing and the oil was able to flow once more and prices returned almost to where they had been before the strait was closed.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026
Benjamin Samat, a French influencer living in Dubai, took to Instagram to lash out at "those who on social media are rejoicing that the French are going through this".
From Barron's • Mar. 1, 2026
In the end, Rams coach Sean McVay screamed and pumped his fists while begging the question, was it rejoicing or was it relief?
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 11, 2026
Nonetheless, the urban legend of American Muslims rejoicing at 9/11 took on a life of its own, which neatly fit a preexisting narrative casting all Muslims as irredeemable enemies of the West.
From Slate • Oct. 29, 2025
Theseus, the King of Athens, received him with all honor, and the old man died rejoicing that he was no longer hateful to men, but welcomed as a benefactor to the land that harbored him.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
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.
