delighted, pleased, or glad, as over a particular thing.
I'm so happy to see you!
characterized by or indicative of pleasure, contentment, or joy.
a happy mood;
a happy frame of mind.
willing to be helpful, as with assistance, a contribution, or participation.
We’ll be happy to bring a couple of salads to the party.
favored by fortune; fortunate or lucky.
Our home country is a happy, fruitful land.
(used as part of an expression of good wishes on a special occasion).
Happy Valentine’s Day to my husband.
Happy Birthday, Grandpa!
apt or felicitous, as actions, utterances, or ideas.
Their collaboration was a happy accident.
obsessed by or quick to use the item indicated (usually used in combination).
He was a trigger-happy gangster.
Everybody is gadget-happy these days.
feeling, showing, or expressing joy; pleased
willing
I'd be happy to show you around
causing joy or gladness
fortunate; lucky
the happy position of not having to work
aptly expressed; appropriate
a happy turn of phrase
informal (postpositive) slightly intoxicated
What is a basic definition of happy? Happy describes a feeling of joy, delight, or glee. It also describes something that is related to or shows joy. Happy can describe someone being willing to do something or be helpful. Happy is used in many expressions that wish good tidings to another person. Happy has a few other senses as an adjective. Happy describes feeling really good, as when a person in a good mood that makes them smile. Happiness refers to this positive emotion. Happily means in a happy way. Real-life examples: Everybody has something that makes them happy. Cute animals, presents, compliments, and loved ones make most people feel happy. Used in a sentence: The surprise birthday party really made Abdul happy. Happy also describes something that shows or is related to feelings of happiness and joy. Used in a sentence: The friendly clown had a happy smile. Happy describes someone being willing to do something, especially to help or assist someone else. They don’t think whatever they will do is a problem or a chore. Real-life examples: Many experts are happy to show off their knowledge. Salespeople are often happy to explain things to customers if it means selling more items. Used in a sentence: I’d be happy to give you a ride to the mall since I was going there anyway. The word happy is used in many greetings and expressions that wish a person well or wish that they have a good future. Used in a sentence: Happy birthday!
First recorded in 1350–1400; from Middle English; see origin at hap 1 ( def. ), -y 1 ( def. )
Happy is a feeling of joy, pleasure, or good fortune — exactly how you'd feel if you learned that you won the lottery or got accepted into your number one choice of colleges. Happy hails from the Middle English word hap, meaning "good luck." Many of the early European words for happy actually referred to good luck, rather than a feeling of joy. On its own, happy means an enjoyable or satisfied state of being. When hyphenated, it can refer to an overwhelming inclination to do something. Someone who is trigger-happy, for example, has an overwhelming urge to shoot things, while a clothes-happy person is obsessed with taking trips to the mall.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"I just have to let it sink in and then I will probably be more happy than I look now, but it's a big surprise for myself."
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026
She is also an especially convincing action hero; you’re happy when the fight scenes come along.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
"As long as it does not pose systemic risks, the government is happy to stabilise the market and gradually let other sectors play a more important role in the economy," Ng added.
From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026
But to keep investors happy, Netflix needs to extract more revenue per subscriber.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 14, 2026
It was a happy thought, not a sad one.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
Gasped Dr. Cook: "Thanks -happy," sank back into a coma.
From Time Magazine Archive
People could not be happier for each other, and we get to celebrate the show together.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
"Six adults skipped to work, happier than ever as our dream of a World Cup win continues", he added.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
America’s mood wasn’t much happier at the bicentennial—or the 1876 centennial for that matter.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026
In fact, new research suggests they might be happier and more successful if they go back to the office.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 27, 2026
The mood is much happier now that Ziggy is here.
From "A Soft Place to Land" by Janae Marks
“The happiest workers can engender similar emotions in their customers, but they are also better at their jobs,” said the report.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
As her mother explained, B.P.J. “is the happiest I have ever seen her when she is accepted for who she is and able to participate in school sports.”
From Slate ● Jun. 30, 2026
A man who has taken the same holiday for 61 years says he has been rewarded with some of his happiest memories.
From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026
“I found my person,” Holland told the outlet, “She’s my best friend, and I’m the happiest I ever have been when I’m with her.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2026
He knew that I lived in the same house as my parents, that my happiest memories of Harvard Law School stemmed from the work I’d done in the Legal Aid Bureau.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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.
