JOYLESS Synonyms: 168 Similar and Opposite Words

joyless

adjective

Definition of joyless

as in unhappy

feeling unhappiness was utterly joyless after his bitter divorce

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 joyless But last year’s 5-7 team too often resembled the joyless Nebraska offenses Frost was supposedly leaving behind. — The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026 His trailblazing act had been reduced to a joyless recitation of his legal entanglements. — Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026 A little light relief would be welcome in these joyless times. — Kate Andrews, Washington Post, 4 Aug. 2026 To give up drinking can feel like trading in your exciting, chaotic, heroic existence for a drab and joyless one. — Literary Hub, 13 July 2026 Call it hypocrisy or honesty, either way, Season 3 is a joyless exercise that’s nonetheless an improvement on the wayward Season 2. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 15 June 2026 With its joyless austerity, the dish bears almost no resemblance to actual chicken paprikás, which is boisterous and dense and, crucially, should involve a considerable portion of hearty starches to sop it all up. — Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 14 June 2026 How to find light in a joyless season. — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 11 June 2026 Like the then French President’s 2002 joyless re-election over the far-right candidate Marie Le Pen, Bass could win handily over Pratt by default. — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 20 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for joyless

Adjective

Its success made Cohn a rich, if unhappy, man, at least for a long while.

— Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 6 Oct. 2026
What appeared to be a fairly normal election for a president halfway through his term — a probable setback, as unhappy voters register their discontent — has the potential, Cook said, to turn into a disaster for Republicans.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of unhappy

Adjective

Spark, a writer of the first rank, brought her beautifully to life in this moving, rather sad novel of Edinburgh in the 1930s.

— The Week US, TheWeek, 5 Oct. 2026
And yet the allegation against her now enters Orange County’s long, sad spectrum of anti-Mexican political history.

— Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of sad

Adjective

In other words, support for white nationalism was higher among people living in more distressed or economically depressed places.

— James Bisbee, The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2026
My idea of Sweden was based entirely on Scandi-noir dramas, all bleak landscapes, depressed people and woolly jumpers.

— Natasha Langan, TheWeek, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of depressed

Adjective

Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire honored Macy at a county Board of Supervisors meeting Wednesday, telling community leaders that her death had left his office and the wider community heartbroken.

— Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2026
Daria’s heartbroken family declined to comment on her death Saturday.

— Rebecca White, New York Daily News, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of heartbroken

Adjective

Viard describes the melancholy of her post-Chanel life in detail, describing herself as a ghost, haunted by the presence of Lagerfeld’s memory.

— Olivier Bouchara, Vanity Fair, 30 Sep. 2026
The fading studio carries a note of melancholy about the state of the film industry as AI advances.

— Jenny S. Li, Variety, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of melancholy

Adjective

Why is Indonesia experiencing its worst ever wildfire season?

— TheWeek, TheWeek, 2 Oct. 2026
Interior designers and professional organizers say most kitchens hide usable square footage in plain sight, trapped behind clutter, bad habits and bulky gear that could be stored smarter or edited out entirely.

— Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of bad

Adjective

That’s all before setting aside the time to manage a fantasy football roster, oversee a gambling hobby, or make sure you’re fully briefed for the next all-hands—sorry, hangout—at the bar.

— Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Skin care picks to pamper your complexion Swapping out your skin care for thicker, richer formulas in fall and winter is a prime example (sorry, had to do it) of working smarter, not harder.

— Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of sorry

Browse Nearby Words

joying

joyless

joylessly

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

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Synonyms of joyless

adjective

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