glee

noun

ˈglē How to pronounce glee (audio)
Definition of gleenext
as in cheerfulness
a mood characterized by high spirits and amusement and often accompanied by laughter the evident glee with which the tabloids report on the misfortunes of celebrities

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 glee Although Jones takes responsibility for the hurt and dysfunction his compulsive tomcatting caused, the legendary lothario details his conquests with barely disguised glee. — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 3 July 2026 Because in a country increasingly divided by social justice causes and their opposing viewpoints, fans increasingly care where their sports teams stand — sometimes to fans' glee or chagrin — depending on whether their opinions agree with that of their teams or leagues. — Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 20 June 2026 As the tribunes, Bernardo De Paula’s Brutus and Daniel DeYoung’s Sicinius scheme and rabble-rouse with manipulative glee. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026 Dickey wields Rosemary’s pack-a-day-for-half-a-century smoker’s cough with glee, and K Callan, who plays the mayor’s elderly secretary and turned 90 in January, gives a devastating monologue in the season finale. — Josef Adalian, Vulture, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for glee
Recent Examples of Synonyms for glee
  1. cheerfulness
  2. cheer
  3. festivity
  4. mirth
Noun
  • How is one not enamored of the Dutch fans’ togetherness and cheerfulness, or the costumes and smiles of the Japanese fans?
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 25 June 2026
  • Finns may not be known for demonstrative cheerfulness, nor necessarily for being makers of excessively happy music.
    — Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2026
Definition of cheerfulness
Noun
  • Within seconds, cheers echo across the mountain valley as a vehicle soars through the sky before plummeting down below.
    — Carmela Asmar, USA Today, 2 July 2026
  • The cheers could be heard across the park as families and friends gathered to watch one of the biggest matches of the World Cup so far—Mexico versus Ecuador.
    — Charlie De Mar, CBS News, 1 July 2026
Definition of cheer
Noun
  • The wedding festivities for Swift and Kelce began on Thursday, July 2, with guests seen arriving at MSG, the Knicks' home arena, for what is believed to be a rehearsal dinner.
    — Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026
  • But when her big bro Sherlock (Henry Cavill) goes missing during the festivities, Enola pauses getting hitched to find him and also unearth a military cover-up.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 3 July 2026
Definition of festivity
Noun
  • Their pairing begs the question of whether misery and mirth alternate, blend, or coexist.
    — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 14 June 2026
  • There’s a fair bit of mirth in all this, and in Glanz’s brittle, snippy dialogue, which is abetted by the casting.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 4 June 2026
Definition of mirth

Phrases Containing glee

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gleans
glee
glee club
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Cite this Entry

“Glee.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/glee. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on glee

Nglish: Translation of glee for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about glee

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