joyous

1 of 2

adjective

joy·​ous ˈjȯi-əs How to pronounce joyous (audio)
Synonyms of joyous
: joyful
a joyous occasion
a joyous celebration
joyously adverb
joyousness noun

joyousness

2 of 2

noun

joy·​ous·​ness
plural -es
: joyfulness, merriment, jubilation

Synonyms of joyous

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Adjective

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Examples of joyous in a Sentence

Adjective a mood of joyous anticipation a joyous crowd eagerly awaiting the countdown to midnight on New Year's Eve
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Adjective
See his portraits—and relive the concert’s joyous celebration of one of musical theater’s most groundbreaking and influential works—below. — Vogue, 27 Oct. 2026 The crowd is dominated by young people, with a joyous, almost carnival-like atmosphere in some parts. — Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026 Dolan was right that distractions can trip up a team, sowing just enough discord among its players to derail their chances at another title, and cut short their fans' chances at another joyous summer. — Noah Shachtman, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026 For the cover of the October 26, 2026, New Yorker Festival Issue, the artist Mark Ulriksen painted a joyous image of Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, Jalen Brunson, and Karl-Anthony Towns, the New York Knicks’ starting lineup. — Françoise Mouly, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for joyous

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of joyous was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

joyless
joyous
joyously
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Joyous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/joyous. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

joyous

adjective
joy·​ous ˈjȯi-əs How to pronounce joyous (audio)
: feeling, causing, or showing joy : joyful
joyously adverb
joyousness noun
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