joy
noun
the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation.
joy
1 American
[joi]
/ dʒɔɪ /
noun
-
joys
plural
-
the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation.
She felt the joy of seeing her son's success.
- Synonyms:
- rapture
- Antonyms:
- grief, sorrow, unhappiness, misery
-
a source or cause of keen pleasure or delight; something or someone greatly valued or appreciated.
Her prose style is a pure joy.
-
the expression or display of glad feeling; festive gaiety.
-
a state of happiness or felicity.
- Synonyms:
- bliss
verb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
Joy
2
American
[joi]
/ dʒɔɪ /
Or
Joye
noun
joy
British
/ dʒɔɪ /
noun
-
a deep feeling or condition of happiness or contentment
-
something causing such a feeling; a source of happiness
-
an outward show of pleasure or delight; rejoicing
-
informal success; satisfaction
I went to the bank for a loan, but got no joy
verb
-
(intr) to feel joy
-
obsolete (tr) to make joyful; gladden
joy
Idioms
Synonym Usage
See pleasure.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of joy
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English joy(e), from Old French joie, joye, from Late Latin gaudia, neuter plural (taken as feminine singular) of Latin gaudium “joy,” equivalent to gaud- (base of gaudēre “to be glad”) + -ium -ium
Explanation
Joy is the emotion of pleasure and happiness. Joy can also be the very thing that delights you. You might find great joy in learning new vocabulary. Or not. Joy can also be used as a verb. You can joy in the fact that you have no homework for the weekend. Or, you might want to rejoice when the teacher announces that the test has been canceled. It's a real joy to use the word as an adjective, too. For example, receiving straight A's probably makes you extremely joyful.
Vocabulary lists containing joy
"The Giving Tree"
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Key Words, Unit 5
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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:
“Making it all one thing with these brilliant people is a constant joy and a constant challenge.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026
The 42-year-old farmer wept with joy when she learned that two-thirds of voters approved the measure.
From Barron's ● Nov. 5, 2026
Old Trafford was transformed from a mutinous, baying cathedral of distrust and fury to one of joy and celebration.
From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026
And for the first time in a decade of watching election nights, it was a joy to experience — like learning how to hope again.
From Salon ● Nov. 4, 2026
He felt his mouth moving, but there was no joy in his heart.
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
"We are the ones who walk the territory and warn of imminent risks," said Jose Joy Martenorio, CRIC's political coordinator.
From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2026
Melissa Joy came in part to learn about private credit and other private investments.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026
When I was a kid, I used to read “The Joy of Cooking” and imagine the elaborate parties I would someday throw for the friends I was certain adulthood would bring me.
From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026
“Depending on where you live,” even an income of $100,000 “can be just barely enough or nowhere near it,” Audrey Emerson, the owner of Cents of Joy Financial Planning in Bellingham, Wash., recently told MarketWatch.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 18, 2026
“My name is Joy, and I’ll be helping you shop today.”
From "Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero" by Kelly J. Baptist
Los Javis use the stories to tell the tale of a brutal war that divided Spain and left deep scars, and the story of the joys and hardships of ordinary men turned into soldiers.
From Barron's ● Oct. 24, 2026
People should not have to travel far to experience the joys of nature, conservationists have said, as campaigners push for more wildlife-rich green spaces in urban areas.
From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026
The ubiquity of phones has not only eroded our manners, but also lessened the joys of bar and dining culture.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026
Neeleman also vocally refutes the idea of being a tradwife while, for example, showcasing the joys of making homemade cheese while an infant is strapped to her.
From Salon ● Sep. 12, 2026
Love is understanding someone, caring for him, sharing his joys and sorrows.
From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
