gladden
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
verb
Synonym Usage
See cheer.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
gladdensimple
-
gladdenssimple
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have gladdenedperfect
-
has gladdenedperfect
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am gladdeningprogressive
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are gladdeningprogressive
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is gladdeningprogressive
-
have been gladdeningperfect progressive
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has been gladdeningperfect progressive
Past
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gladdenedsimple
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had gladdenedperfect
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was gladdeningprogressive
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were gladdeningprogressive
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had been gladdeningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of gladden
Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at glad 1, -en 1
Explanation
To gladden is to make someone happy by delighting them or cheering them up. It will gladden your heart to finally find your lost dog. The verb gladden means "to make glad," from the Old English glæd, "bright, shining, gleaming" and also "joyous." So when something gladdens you, like running into your beloved kindergarten teacher, it brightens your whole day. Before the early 14th century, people used the word glad as a verb instead, as in: "It glads my ears to hear such beautiful music."
Vocabulary lists containing gladden
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:
The images of Rodri out on the first-team training pitches, running, turning and kicking the ball, will gladden the heart of every Manchester City fan.
From BBC ● Feb. 28, 2025
It will gladden your hearts to know that the man in front of her was also stopped and ticketed.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 8, 2022
The little I’ve heard about Bloomberg will not gladden the hearts of his campaign advisers.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 27, 2020
The new escalator policy, which awaits final board approval, would gladden the ghost of comedian Mitch Hedberg, who famously imagined signs that say: “Escalator Temporarily Stairs. Sorry for the Convenience.”
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 6, 2018
“In Westeros you will be the lost child who returns to gladden her father’s heart. Your people will cheer when you ride by, and all good men will love you.”
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
Pitt especially gladdens as the former inmate with the face tattoos and creative side gig.
From New York Times ● Jul. 14, 2022
Sometimes there's a subversive element to Twitter, a sense of underground community; an anti-establishment frisson that gladdens the soul.
From The Guardian ● May 25, 2013
The one thing that gladdens my heart is that he’s going bald.”
From New York Times ● Apr. 23, 2011
There is little that gladdens a geek's heart more than the sound of that first successful post beep from a self-built computer.
From The Guardian ● Feb. 22, 2011
“It gladdens my heart to see you like this, Odilia. All grown up,” Papá whispered as I leaned in and allowed him to give me a small, reserved hug.
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
It was his getting up on Shabbat mornings to join us at synagogue that most gladdened and baffled me.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 21, 2026
Rather than viewing their opponents as enemies, many athletes seem to be emboldened and gladdened by their competitors’ successes.
From Salon ● Aug. 7, 2024
“I’m surprised and gladdened by what the court did here,” added Gillers, who helped draft a complaint asking state courts to investigate Giuliani’s conduct.
From Washington Post ● Jun. 24, 2021
Our eyes were gladdened by just such an insect this week.
From Slate ● Dec. 10, 2018
Her eye then lit on Van Helsing and on me too, and gladdened.
From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker
He imagined the hiss and pop of their burning logs gladdening “many a humble fireside.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 18, 2025
The animated series pitches Aang’s refusal to entirely abandon his innocence as a gladdening luxury in a world ravaged by war.
From Salon ● Feb. 28, 2024
Lenton and Wilson, with a combined age of 130, were perhaps the most gladdening of the successes.
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2022
The jewel-tone visuals especially complement the ultimately gladdening plot twists.
From Washington Post ● May 16, 2022
“Every tongue did its best to circulate the gladdening intelligence.”
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
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.
