delightful
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- delightfully adverb
- delightfulness noun
- undelightful adjective
- undelightfully adverb
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.
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 narrator’s mishandling of his cellphone reprises the author’s delightful affinity for physical slapstick.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026
Eisenberg and Schulman agreed that sharing too much about Norman before people could watch the show would spoil all the delightful surprises he delivers.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 20, 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
“He is rich, a gentleman, and has delightful manners,” began Amy, trying to be quite cool and dignified, but feeling a little ashamed of herself, in spite of the sincerity of her intentions.
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
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.
