delight
Americannoun
-
delights
plural
-
a high degree of pleasure or enjoyment; joy; rapture.
She takes great delight in her job.
- Synonyms:
- delectation, transport
- Antonyms:
- distress
-
something that gives great pleasure.
The dance was a delight to see.
- Antonyms:
- disappointment
verb (used with object)
-
delights,
present (3rd person singular)
-
delighted,
past participle, past
-
delighting
present participle
verb (used without object)
-
delights,
present (3rd person singular)
-
delighted,
past participle, past
-
delighting
present participle
verb
-
(tr) to please greatly
-
to take great pleasure (in)
noun
-
extreme pleasure or satisfaction; joy
-
something that causes this
music was always his delight
Synonym Usage
See pleasure.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
delightsimple
-
delightssimple
-
have delightedperfect
-
has delightedperfect
-
am delightingprogressive
-
are delightingprogressive
-
is delightingprogressive
-
have been delightingperfect progressive
-
has been delightingperfect progressive
Past
-
delightedsimple
-
had delightedperfect
-
was delightingprogressive
-
were delightingprogressive
-
had been delightingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of delight
First recorded in 1175–1225; (verb) respelling, after light 1, of earlier delite, Middle English deliten, from Anglo-French deliter, Old French delitier, from Latin delectāre ( see delectable); (noun) respelling (as above) of Middle English delit, from Anglo-French, Old French, derivative of the verb
Explanation
When you like someone, you might say, "She is an absolute delight." You mean you think she's great: a delight is a source of joy, and to delight is to cause pleasure. Babies are particularly good at expressing delight in new things. Delight is often associated with an initial impression—one says, "She continues to delight us," to suggest that the first impression continues. The word delight derives from the Latin delectare "to charm," which also gives us delectable, and the same lighthearted sense of pure, uncomplicated pleasure.
Vocabulary lists containing delight
Words inspired by "Inside Out"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Beowulf vocabulary
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Enjoy! Synonyms for "Pleasure"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
Watch for rage-bait—social-media algorithms tend to amplify content that triggers strong emotions like surprise, delight and outrage.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
Another announces, with delight, “I made these incredible marinated white beans and put them on toast.”
From Salon ● Aug. 1, 2026
There’s a lot of potential in “Lanterns” and Conan is always a delight, but the rest of this month’s lineup is light.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 31, 2026
Social media users were also split, with one viewer writing that Meghan was "warm, gracious and a delight to watch" while another called Prince Harry's cameo appearance "cringe".
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
Jaya and Jad squealed with delight and scampered out the door as Roz started counting.
From "The Wild Robot Escapes" by Peter Brown
Ms. Kavenna delights in dropping tantalizing clues that never build to clear conclusions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
For those very delights — oh, and the art too, yeah, sure — are why many people still want to go, a desire that watching “The Man Will Burn” will only strengthen.
From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2026
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on social media that any feud between the two "delights" Russia's Vladimir Putin and called on Zelensky and Nawrocki to "calm emotions, not to stoke tensions".
From BBC ● Jun. 20, 2026
Fletcher, who, along with Gamble, is from southern Louisiana, delights in being shocking.
From Slate ● May 4, 2026
He checks on her daily, shops for her on wintry days, and delights in her cooking.
From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins
Deeper into the grounds, fans delighted in interactive art installations — from a replica of Pinky’s Records & Discs to Craig’s front porch.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
Wood seemed delighted by that fandom and, most of all, by the feeling of common purpose around his stores.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
On my recent rereading of “The Secret Garden,” I was delighted by the moment when Mary, initially pale and peevish and uninterested in her breakfast, begins wandering the grounds with a jump rope in hand.
From Salon ● Jul. 28, 2026
"I'm delighted that this study has highlighted Japan as a crucial region for understanding their evolutionary history."
From Science Daily ● Jul. 24, 2026
“I like that,” cried Jo, delighted with her new name.
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
When part of a SpaceX rocket re-entered Earth's atmosphere exactly a year ago, it created a spectacuglar fireball that streaked across Europe's skies, delighting stargazers and sending a team of scientists rushing towards their instruments.
From Barron's ● Feb. 19, 2026
A film like “The Housemaid” delighting viewers this much and making boatloads of cash doing it is a sure sign of cinema’s vitality.
From Salon ● Jan. 31, 2026
They reached their target inside 33 overs, England's four-wicket victory delighting the thousands of travelling fans who finally have something to celebrate on a hitherto miserable tour.
From BBC ● Dec. 27, 2025
“We must reorient our entire company around delivering for and delighting our customers.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 20, 2025
She put her hand to her face and raised her eyebrows, delighting in her tale.
From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein
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.
