joyous
Americanadjective
adjective
-
having a happy nature or mood
-
joyful
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of joyous
1275–1325; Middle English < Anglo-French; Old French joios. See joy, -ous
Explanation
Someone or something joyous is characterized by joy: extreme, exuberant, deep happiness. If you won the lottery, you’d probably feel joyous. Joyous is a strong word for the absolute best moments in life. Weddings and graduations are usually described as joyous occasions. You would feel joyous if you accomplished a lifelong goal, such as earning a gold medal in the Olympics. In other words, joyous goes beyond the simple feeling of happiness you might get from watching your favorite TV show or eating a delicious sandwich — unless of course it’s a really amazing sandwich.
Vocabulary lists containing joyous
Smiley Face: Synonyms for "Happy"
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List 2
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American Street
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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.
The Caballero circus dynasty dates back to the turn of the 20th century in Guadalajara, with Adelaida Caballero was the first in the family to practice the joyous spectacle.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
“I’m gonna just let them do what they want to do. But they do love music,” he said with a joyous grin.
From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2026
She asked the audience to teach her an English accent, then danced with joyous abandon, and toyed with concepts of devotion, fame and idol worship.
From BBC • May 6, 2026
Kenya's Sebastian Sawe has returned home to joyous scenes after becoming the first man to run a marathon in under two hours in competitive race conditions.
From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026
The only consolation in such an arrangement was that joyous mo-merits were shared as well.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
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.
