joyful
Americanadjective
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full of joy, as a person or one's heart; glad; delighted.
- Antonyms:
- melancholy
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showing or expressing joy, as looks, actions, or speech.
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causing or bringing joy, as an event, a sight, or news; delightful.
the joyful announcement of their marriage.
adjective
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full of joy; elated
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expressing or producing joy
a joyful look
a joyful occasion
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of joyful
Explanation
Someone who's joyful is very happy. A joyful child will laugh with delight. When you experience the feeling of joy, you're joyful. For many people, their wedding day, the birth of their children, or simply a beautiful summer afternoon can all be joyful occasions. To be joyful is beyond being happy — there is delight and a kind of bliss involved in feeling joyful. The noun joy is at the root of joyful, from the Old French joie with its Latin root of gaudere, "rejoice."
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.
These scenes take place in Bohemia, which represents the moral and spiritual opposite of Sicilia; it’s a place where joyful anarchy and freedom replace the oppressive and destructive rigidities of the corrupted Sicilia.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
The niece Choekyi remembered Rangzen as a "joyful" man who loved joining weekly Tibetan "gorshey" circle dances.
From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026
I still love its blend of retro innocence and joyful futurism.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026
The collection is both furious and joyful, beautifully and carefully cohesive.
From Salon ● Jul. 14, 2026
A love song for the wife, a joyful melody for the kids, all of it backed up by the steady beat of a man marching to make a living.
From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx
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.
