joyful

1 of 2

adjective

joy·​ful ˈjȯi-fəl How to pronounce joyful (audio)
Synonyms of joyful
: experiencing, causing, or showing joy : happy
a joyful crowd
joyful faces
a joyful occasion
joyfully
ˈjȯi-fə-lē How to pronounce joyful (audio)
adverb
joyfulness noun

joyfulness

2 of 2

noun

joy·​ful·​ness
-fəlnə̇s
plural -es
: joy

Synonyms of joyful

Relevance

Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of joyful in a Sentence

Adjective We were joyful at the news. the news of the child's safe return made us all joyful
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Tend to one task at a time, and allow room for pleasure, family and a more joyful personal life. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 30 June 2026 The second half brought a different tone to the joyful opening 45 minutes. — Christian Marshall, Kansas City Star, 4 July 2026 The South Florida sun beat down, but the family’s mood was nothing but joyful. — Shira Moolten, Sun Sentinel, 4 July 2026 The poem depicts writing as a joyful quest for enlightenment, of transforming darkness into light. — Literary Hub, 6 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for joyful

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English joyfulnesse, from joyful + -nesse- -ness

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of joyful was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Joycean
joyful
joyfully
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Joyful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/joyful. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

joyful

adjective
joy·​ful ˈjȯi-fəl How to pronounce joyful (audio)
: feeling, causing, or showing joy
a joyful family reunion
joyfully
-fə-lē How to pronounce joyful (audio)
adverb
joyfulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on joyful

Nglish: Translation of joyful for Spanish Speakers

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