joyous
Americanadjective
adjective
-
having a happy nature or mood
-
joyful
Other Word Forms
- joyously adverb
- joyousness noun
- overjoyous adjective
- overjoyously adverb
- overjoyousness noun
- unjoyous adjective
- unjoyously adverb
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"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
List 2
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
American Street
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
“Isom Dart Was” presents a murky, joyous take on dub music.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026
Charlotte Cornell, Canterbury City Council's cabinet member for culture and heritage, said Mother Clanger's return was "joyous".
From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026
The best relationships in life are joyous and free and, yes, come with responsibilities and hard decisions and commitment.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 10, 2026
It was an ode to the joyous, maximalist world that Arnold meticulously and affectionately built in both life and art — because for him there was no distinction, art was life.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 25, 2026
Brother Leon looked positively joyous and Goober felt nauseous.
From "The Chocolate War" by Robert Cormier
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.
