Dictionary.com

glad

1
[ glad ]
/ glæd /
Save This Word!
See synonyms for: glad / gladly / gladness on Thesaurus.com

adjective, glad·der, glad·dest.
feeling joy or pleasure; delighted; pleased: glad about the good news;glad that you are here.
accompanied by or causing joy or pleasure: a glad occasion;glad tidings.
characterized by or showing cheerfulness, joy, or pleasure, as looks or utterances.
very willing: I'll be glad to give him your message.
verb (used with object), glad·ded, glad·ding.
Archaic. to make glad.
QUIZ
CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?
There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?
Question 1 of 7
Which sentence is correct?

Origin of glad

1
First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English glæd; cognate with Old Norse glathr “bright, glad,” Dutch glad, German glatt “smooth”; akin to Latin glaber “smooth”

OTHER WORDS FROM glad

glad·ly, adverbglad·ness, noun

Other definitions for glad (2 of 2)

glad2
[ glad ]
/ glæd /

noun

Origin of glad

2
First recorded in 1920–25; by shortening
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use glad in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for glad (1 of 2)

glad1
/ (ɡlæd) /

adjective gladder or gladdest
happy and pleased; contented
causing happiness or contentment
(postpositive foll by to) very willinghe was glad to help
(postpositive foll by of) happy or pleased to haveglad of her help
verb glads, gladding or gladded
an archaic word for gladden

Derived forms of glad

gladly, adverbgladness, noun

Word Origin for glad

Old English glǣd; related to Old Norse glathr, Old High German glat smooth, shining, Latin glaber smooth, Lithuanian glodùs fitting closely

British Dictionary definitions for glad (2 of 2)

glad2
/ (ɡlæd) /

noun
informal short for gladiolus Also called (Austral): gladdie (ˈɡlædɪ)
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 Idioms and Phrases with glad

glad

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
FEEDBACK