mirth
Americannoun
-
gaiety or jollity, especially when accompanied by laughter.
the excitement and mirth of the holiday season.
- Antonyms:
- gloom
-
amusement or laughter.
He was unable to conceal his mirth.
noun
Synonym Usage
Mirth, glee, hilarity, merriment, jollity, joviality refer to the gaiety characterizing people who are enjoying the companionship of others. Mirth suggests spontaneous amusement or gaiety, manifested briefly in laughter: uncontrolled outbursts of mirth. Glee suggests an effervescence of high spirits or exultation, often manifested in playful or ecstatic gestures; it may apply also to a malicious rejoicing over mishaps to others: glee over the failure of a rival. Hilarity implies noisy and boisterous mirth, often exceeding the limits of reason or propriety: hilarity aroused by practical jokes. Merriment suggests fun, good spirits, and good nature rather than the kind of wit and sometimes artificial funmaking that cause hilarity: The house resounded with music and sounds of merriment. Jollity and joviality may refer either to a general atmosphere of mirthful festivity or to the corresponding traits of individuals. Jollity implies an atmosphere of easy and convivial gaiety, a more hearty merriment or a less boisterous hilarity: The holiday was a time of jollity. Joviality implies a more mellow merriment generated by people who are hearty, generous, benevolent, and high-spirited: the joviality of warm-hearted friends.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of mirth
First recorded before 900; Middle English mirthe, Old English myrgth. See merry, -th 1
Explanation
Mirth is a formal or literary term meaning fun and enjoyment as shown by laughter. If you and your friends stayed up all night at a sleepover laughing, you might refer to that as a night of mirth. In 1905, Edith Wharton published a novel The House of Mirth, whose title derives from Ecclesiastes: "The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth." But studies show that when human beings laugh, smile, or otherwise engage in mirthful activity, our brains release hormones that help us live longer. Mirth may be foolish, but it's good for you.
Vocabulary lists containing mirth
"Macbeth" Vocabulary from Act III
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Ender's Game
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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
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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 temptation was to laugh because the place couldn't have been any more electrified, but the drama down below didn't allow for mirth.
From BBC • Feb. 21, 2026
In summoning so much mirth for its monument to merriment, “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” cheerfully rages against the dying of the light.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 19, 2025
As recently as two days ago, he mentioned how his actions are making the District a place of mirth and virtue.
From Salon • Nov. 28, 2025
The games, the tedium, the comfort of nostalgia, the sting and fury of old resentments: It’s an experience of mirth and misery alike.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 20, 2025
Eventually I begin to think I’m going to throw up and crawl away, to the great mirth of everyone.
From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen
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.
