GLADNESS Synonyms: 115 Similar and Opposite Words

gladness

noun

Definition of gladness

as in joy

a feeling or state of well-being and contentment felt nothing but gladness at seeing her best friend beat her out for the award

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in contentment

the feeling experienced when one's wishes are met the children's gladness was evident as they opened their Christmas presents

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of gladness May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you. — Abigail Van Buren, Boston Herald, 17 Mar. 2026 Hazel shrugged, but Lilian could see her gladness at being asked. — Yiyun Li, New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2026 Over time in Middle English, myrth(e) narrowed to mean joy, amusement, or gladness, often expressed in laughter and festivity. — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gladness

Noun

Children crowded the play areas, despite the damp, gray weather, shrieking with joy (and in one instance, crying).

— Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 23 Oct. 2026
Italians are fed energetically with the sustenance of beauty, ease, and joy.

— Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of joy

Noun

Spates of them appear every couple of years, often inspired by surveys of financial contentment like Goldman’s.

— Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
The series will explore what constitutes happiness in different cultures and show the travelers — and viewers — different approaches to contentment.

— Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of contentment

Noun

But the stand-alone fragment, in the seeming spirit of Franz Kafka’s surreal and unsettling fiction, links success to misery, and happiness to death.

— Robert S. Levine, The Conversation, 26 Oct. 2026
Buffett’s view is supported by research that shows that people with supportive spouses tend to take on more rewarding challenges throughout their lives, and end up having more personal growth and happiness.

— Shayla Love, Vox, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of happiness

Noun

In a Harris Poll survey published Wednesday, 65% of American adults reported spending $100 or more on playful activities or products — such as craft kits or action figures — for personal enjoyment between June 2025 and June 2026.

— Renée Onque, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
My enjoyment now came from sitting back and watching her shine.

— Diana Daniele, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of enjoyment

Noun

While some call it innovative, is there something that gets missed when the hard conversations about safety and pleasure become a digital feedback loop?

— Brittany Luse, NPR, 21 Oct. 2026
Neufchatel Cheese This is just diet cream cheese, for those who prefer to sacrifice the small pleasures in life.

— Alex Beggs, Bon Appetit Magazine, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of pleasure

Noun

As much an acknowledgment of survival as a rallying cry, the song draws out sadness as well as satisfaction from the audience.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026
Correspondence files can be mined for service failures—moments where the company’s response didn’t match the member’s need—that predict attrition much more accurately than any customer satisfaction survey.

— Amanda Turcotte, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of satisfaction

Noun

Meanwhile, On and Dior have also reportedly removed Chinese promotional content featuring Mbappé, although neither had announced a global termination, according to Chinese news outlet Phoenix.

— Matthew Tan, CNBC, 28 Oct. 2026
Wilson will lead the company’s podcast content acquisitions on a contract basis.

— Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of content

Noun

Grenada The new year marks the 150th anniversary of Spicemas, the annual August carnival in Grenada, which is known as the Spice Island due to its cultivation of nutmeg, cloves and other scented delights.

— Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026
That may not be everybody’s notion of delight, but each to his own.

— Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of delight

Browse Nearby Words

gladly

gladness

glad rags

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“Gladness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gladness. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of gladness

noun

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