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
Derived 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.
"There was a few like that, Ralph Fiennes and Neil Sedaka both just wandered in. Gillian Anderson came in regularly when filming House of Mirth, and Hugo Weaving was another one."
From BBC • Jul. 3, 2025
The second favorite, at 5-2, is Mirth for Phil D’Amato and Martin Garcia.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 16, 2019
Reading House of Mirth, The Age of Innocence and The Custom of the Country in short order is wonderful!
From New York Times • Feb. 13, 2018
I was struck that even “Archie” had notes of the country’s painful history and present: “The Mirth of a Nation,” the cover said, as ice-skating Archie flew over some barrels, toward a hole.
From The New Yorker • Feb. 19, 2017
She looked up from The House of Mirth.
From "It All Comes Down to This" by Karen English
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.
