rejoice
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
verb
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to feel or express great joy or happiness
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archaic (tr) to cause to feel joy
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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rejoicernoun
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rejoicingnoun
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prerejoiceverb (used without object)
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rejoicefuladjective
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unrejoicedadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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rejoicesimple
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rejoicessimple
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have rejoicedperfect
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has rejoicedperfect
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am rejoicingprogressive
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are rejoicingprogressive
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is rejoicingprogressive
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have been rejoicingperfect progressive
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has been rejoicingperfect progressive
Past
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rejoicedsimple
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had rejoicedperfect
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was rejoicingprogressive
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were rejoicingprogressive
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had been rejoicingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of rejoice
1275–1325; Middle English rejoicen < Old French rejouiss-, long stem of rejouir, equivalent to re- re- + jouir to rejoice; see joy
Explanation
To rejoice is to be incredibly happy, or to express your incredible happiness. If you just won millions in the lottery, you might rejoice by screaming at the top of your lungs. When you rejoice, you celebrate or feel extreme happiness. You might rejoice after scoring the winning goal in a championship game, or you might rejoice when you receive an amazing gift on your birthday. You’ll often hear this word in the phrase “let us rejoice,” especially in some religious settings.
Vocabulary lists containing rejoice
Joy To The Word: Christmas Terms
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Instead of "Said": Words for Upbeat Banter
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"Beowulf," Vocabulary from the epic poem
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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.
History buffs, rejoice: Can you name the country where the War of the Three Henrys took place from 1585 to 1589?
From Slate • Jul. 8, 2026
But when two rescuers from Chile and the United States finally reached him after more than three days of complex operations, Gil couldn't bring himself to rejoice.
From Barron's • Jul. 5, 2026
"While we grieve his absence, we also rejoice in the timeless gift of his music and the cherished memories he created that will love on forever," they said.
From BBC • Feb. 21, 2026
When the Prodigal Son’s older brother is bothered about the feast, his father tells him to rejoice in his brother’s return.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 17, 2025
Jo looked relieved, and after a pause, said, smiling, “How Mrs. Moffat would wonder at your want of management, if she knew, and how she will rejoice that Annie may still hope.”
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
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.
