Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
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


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.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

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:

Some autumnal ale: It can be delightful when craft breweries churn out seasonally inspired flavors, but what happens when we start being served pumpkin beer in August, or Christmas beer before Halloween?

From Slate ● Oct. 14, 2026

It was delightful, calming, efficient, respectful and actionable.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 5, 2026

It's also partly why it is quite so delightful to watch - as friendships unravel, and former co-stars turn on each other.

From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026

Well, “easy” may be a little strong given the delightful peculiarities of New Jersey Transit, but let’s not stop the Tribune crew while they’re on a roll.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

His answer to this sudden attack was delightful to their mother’s ear.

From "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word


Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training