joy 1 of 2

noun

ˈjȯi How to pronounce joy (audio)
Definition of joynext
1
as in happiness
a feeling or state of well-being and contentment the inexpressible joy that the couple are feeling upon the birth of their first child

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in delight
a source of great satisfaction my car is my pride and joy

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joy

2 of 2

verb

as in to delight
to feel or express joy or triumph the whole town is joying in the fact that its oldest church has been restored to its Victorian splendor

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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 joy
Noun
Parents know the joy of the first ultrasound scan of their babies. — Robert Lea, Space.com, 30 Sep. 2026 Related Stories Cruise, declaiming every line, acting with blind bluster and a mean gleam of good-ol’-boy joy, makes Digger a walking cartoon — a larger-than-life satire of over-the-top American arrogance, like LBJ crossed with Foghorn Leghorn. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 29 Sep. 2026 There’s so much joy, playfulness, but also a strong sense of sentimentality. — Laure Guilbault, Vogue, 29 Sep. 2026 Putting the city to paper was its own journey, but Painter faced some unexpected joys throughout the writing process. — Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for joy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for joy
  1. happiness
  2. delight
  3. glory
  4. bliss
  5. pleasure
  6. triumph
  7. treat
  8. feast
Noun
  • Still, some royal observers don’t think their happiness will last.
    — Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The happiness was real, for a time, but the two artists, each with his own distinct problems and needs, were not going to be happy together, or with anyone else, for long.
    — Alan Hollinghurst, The New York Review of Books, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of happiness
Noun
  • The more these three play together, the more the emotional register of their music keeps breaching into delight.
    — Sasha Geffen, Pitchfork, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Even Jeff, post-premiere, has been a delight, just kind of letting the game play out and not foisting metaphors upon us at Tribal Council.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of delight
Verb
  • Messi, at 35, led his country to glory against France, winning soccer’s ultimate prize in a pulsating match that finished 3-3 after extra time and had to be settled by a nerve-wracking penalty shootout.
    — Patrick Smith, NBC News, 19 Dec. 2022
  • If Harris can bring together a family with Indian, African, and Jewish heritage, America can glory in its diversity.
    — Fintan O’Toole, The New York Review of Books, 26 Aug. 2020
Definition of glory
Noun
  • In the song, Swift apologizes to an ex for neglecting his feelings, comparing the bliss of a rebound relationship to the excitement of drug users post-withdrawal in recovery, where the term in the title originates.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026
  • For best results, pair the below bad boys with a specialized orthotic insert that will further amplify your podiatric bliss.
    — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of bliss
Noun
  • His ambition is mostly to lure new customers — including the #BookTok generation — off their screens and into the stores to experience the IRL pleasures of book shopping.
    — Andy Lewis, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Your work has long played with pleasure, kink and the tension between what is proper and what is provocative — from your infamous jockstraps to the recent patent leather groom who closed the recent men’s show in Milan.
    — Tyler Matthew Oyer, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of pleasure
Verb
  • Five years later, and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes have triumphed over the Na’vi again.
    — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 4 Oct. 2026
  • The luncheon is designed to celebrate individuals who have triumphed over addiction.
    — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of triumph
Noun
  • Non-traditional cuts of steaks are the order of the day at Alvear Grill, while L'Orangerie y el Jardin d'Hiver serves a breakfast buffet that's a real treat, and afternoon tea with white-gloved waiters.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Especially right now, since Amazon just shaved 22% off for a Prime Day treat.
    — Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of treat
Noun
  • At Malate Church, parishioners marked the feast Sunday by bringing their beloved pets for a special blessing — mostly dogs but also cats and even a pet snail.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Oct. 2026
  • In the scene, Simon’s family speaks Kreyòl — although to varying degrees of proficiency — and the camera lingers on the Haitian feast presented on the table.
    — Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of feast

Browse Nearby Words

jovially
joy
joyed
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Cite this Entry

“Joy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/joy. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on joy

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about joy

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