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
As Venus retrograde slips back into Pisces and your fifth house of authenticity, you’re called to revisit past passions projects and relationships, whether that’s rekindling a hobby that brings you joy or reconnecting with an old lover. — Valerie Mesa, People.com, 27 Mar. 2025 This was most viscerally expressed in my living room – playing with the color orange, which traditionally represents joy, vitality, imagination, and pride. — Virginia Cumberbatch, Essence, 27 Mar. 2025
Verb
Acevedo’s treatment of magic as an everyday possibility is compelling, but there is also magic in the wonder, surprise, frustrations, and joys the characters experience in their relationships with one another. — Nicole Chung, Time, 25 July 2023 In Rachel Kushner’s essay collection, The Hard Crowd, specifically the titular essay, there is an ode to joy near the beginning. — Harper's BAZAAR, 31 Jan. 2023 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
  • To no longer be complicit in surrendering her life to the sport at the expense of her happiness.
    — Marcus Thompson II, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
  • So that was a very conscious call, along with the choice of basing it in a particular weather, which is monsoon, because the characters don’t really have any happiness or sunshine in their life.
    — Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 27 Mar. 2025
Definition of happiness
Noun
  • This secondary maturation has transformed the whiskey into a spicy, woody, fruity delight without losing the bourbon’s core identity.
    — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 23 Mar. 2025
  • Sunderland at home will be another marker and the presence of the Carabao Cup a source of both delight and motivation.
    — George Caulkin, The Athletic, 22 Mar. 2025
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
  • The deck space is bliss for morning coffee moments, and the firepit is begging for s’mores.
    — Kristi Kellogg, Architectural Digest, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Jim Halpert and Pam Beesly may have one of the most memorable — and relatable — love stories in television history, but the couple’s ultimate bliss took nine seasons to get there.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 25 Mar. 2025
Definition of bliss
Noun
  • The layout is a missed opportunity, as one of the pleasures of Abercrombie is to witness the interplay between her narratives and tropes rather than consider them in isolation.
    — Jeremy Lybarger, ARTnews.com, 26 Mar. 2025
  • Perry is also the main creative force behind the guiltiest pleasure BET+ original shows.
    — PCMAG, PCMAG, 25 Mar. 2025
Definition of pleasure
Verb
  • This moment transitions from reflection to celebration; to triumph over the trials that once seemed insurmountable.
    — Nick Jonas, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2025
  • Chicago Tribune Still, there have been 55 times in which the No. 12 seed triumphed since the NCAA Tournament field expanded in 1985, including twice last year, when James Madison beat Wisconsin and Grand Canyon knocked off Saint Mary’s.
    — Dave Skretta, Chicago Tribune, 19 Mar. 2025
Definition of triumph
Noun
  • Other treats like a peach ice cream sandwich, pecan caramel corn, and white chocolate pecan cookie will only set you back between $1.50-$3.
    — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 22 Mar. 2025
  • There were roaming free, there were lots of handlers around giving out treats.
    — Dory Jackson, People.com, 21 Mar. 2025
Definition of treat
Noun
  • There was also visual feast thanks to a drone show from Skymagic, a global events company based in the north of England.
    — Carlton Reid, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
  • What to do and where to stay in Bangkok Bustling Bangkok, Thailand’s capital city, is a feast for the senses and one of Asia’s megacities.
    — Chris Dong, AFAR Media, 2 Apr. 2025
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 6 Apr. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on joy

Nglish: Translation of joy for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about joy

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