delightful
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived 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 willingness to build something delightful out of whatever appears.
From Salon • May 25, 2026
In his 2018 Times review, critic Justin Chang called it “a delightful, teasing wisp of a tale.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026
Doku's goal opened the scoring against the stubborn Bees, cutting inside and curling in a delightful finish just as he did to rescue a last-gasp draw at Everton on Monday.
From BBC • May 9, 2026
Anecdotes of his immersion in local life are delightful.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026
March 2 started out as a delightful day.
From "Death on the River of Doubt" by Samantha Seiple
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.
