delightful
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of delightful
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.
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.
The delightful dwelling is a short walk to the Hudson River, a community tennis court, parks, and a market.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 26, 2026
One of my favorite stories of the past year was Caity Weaver’s delightful Atlantic investigation into America’s best free restaurant bread.
From Salon • Jun. 22, 2026
Everyone around me got to breathe and scream and let out their frustrations about our nation in the most delightful way imaginable.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 19, 2026
And so it was a delightful week of watching the Interior Department scramble to gussy it up again.
From Slate • Jun. 19, 2026
"Ah. Even so, they are delightful things," she said, and smiled again.
From "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman
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.
