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Synonyms

delightful

American  
[dih-lahyt-fuhl] / dɪˈlaɪt fəl /

adjective

  1. giving great pleasure or delight; highly pleasing.

    a delightful surprise.
    Synonyms:
    delectable, enchanting, charming, enjoyable, pleasurable, pleasant, agreeable
    Antonyms:
    disagreeable
delightful British  
/ dɪˈlaɪtfʊl /

adjective

  1. giving great delight; very pleasing, beautiful, charming, etc

"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

  • delightfully adverb
  • delightfulness noun
  • undelightful adjective
  • undelightfully adverb

Etymology

Origin of delightful

First recorded in 1520–30; delight + -ful

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.

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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.

But if she is a delightful, gritty inspiration to some, Moses has always been an overrated “primitive” kept aloft by a winning backstory to others, including many art-world gatekeepers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

The actor, 86, finds the revelation delightful, triggering a hint of whimsical glee reminiscent of Gandalf himself.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

Then she shares a delightful, fact-based piece of trivia like, “Hey, did you know that rats giggle when you tickle them?”

From Salon • Apr. 5, 2026

The 20-minute film follows a duo who form an unlikely friendship and is a delightful meditation on the importance of connecting with another human being.

From Barron's • Mar. 4, 2026

In contrast to Whitaker, one of the chess caravan’s more delightful players was Glenn T. Hartleb, an expert-level Floridian.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

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.