adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of joyless
First recorded in 1300–50, joyless is from the Middle English word joyles. See joy, -less
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.
Those aren’t the decisions of a joyless generation.
From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026
That’s not to say it was an entirely joyless event.
From Slate ● Jul. 1, 2026
The journey that fear takes him on isn't a slow-motion car crash, it's a full-throttle run of joyless rides.
From BBC ● Apr. 24, 2026
Shrinking perks and growing fears about AI are turning offices into joyless places.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 4, 2026
Unfortunately, Picnic’s mom lost that job a couple of years ago; in the last economic dip, the offices—several gray, joyless buildings filled with cubicles and meeting rooms—laid off half their cleaning staff.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
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.
