1
: a high degree of gratification or pleasure : joy
children squealing in delight
also
: extreme satisfaction
seems to take delight in the misfortunes of others
2
: something that gives great pleasure
her performance was a delight
3
archaic
: the power of affording pleasure
of more delight than hawks or horses be—
Shakespeare
Shakespeare
delighted; delighting; delights
1
: to take great pleasure
delighted in playing the guitar
2
: to give keen enjoyment
a book certain to delight
: to give joy or satisfaction to
Her books delight readers of all ages.
delighter
noun
Synonyms
Examples of delight in a Sentence
Noun
We watched the fireworks with delight.
The kids screamed in delight as they chased one another around the park.
To the delight of the children, there were enough cookies for everyone to have two.
Some people seem to take great delight in hearing about the misfortunes of others.
The trip was a delight.
a garden full of tasty delights
The magazine is a cook's delight.
The stories are a delight to read.
Verb
The toy delighted the children.
The stories will delight readers of all ages.
Recent Examples on the Web
Alyssa Goldberg, USA TODAY, 15 Feb. 2025
Some presidents defy political gravity, to the delight of their impersonators.
—Sopan Deb, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025
Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 14 Feb. 2025
The store has delighted Sacramentans for decades with its abundant decor and offbeat merchandise, from novelty items like fake mustaches and rubber chickens to staples like candles and cookware.
—Annika Merrilees, Sacramento Bee, 14 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for delight 
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.
Noun
Cowan appeared briefly at the end of the show – a parade of outlandish patterns and teased wigs – much to the delight of boyfriend Sam Smith who watched on alongside Kesha, who also camped out at the afterparty at Casa Cipriani.
—Alyssa Goldberg, USA TODAY, 15 Feb. 2025
Some presidents defy political gravity, to the delight of their impersonators.
—Sopan Deb, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025
Verb
An adorable video of a Chihuahua who loves to floss has delighted the internet, as TikTok users can't get enough of his love of dental hygiene.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 14 Feb. 2025
The store has delighted Sacramentans for decades with its abundant decor and offbeat merchandise, from novelty items like fake mustaches and rubber chickens to staples like candles and cookware.
—Annika Merrilees, Sacramento Bee, 14 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for delight
Dictionary Entries Near delight
Cite this Entry
“Delight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/delight. Accessed 20 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share