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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in delight
a source of great satisfaction
my car is my pride and joy
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
New Atlas, 9 Jan. 2026
London is not a real place 😂 🫧 Shoutout to @jahfire247 for bringing so much joy to London.
—Jennifer Hassan, Washington Post, 9 Jan. 2026
Founded by Maurice White, the group helped shape the sound of funk, soul, R&B, and pop while delivering a message rooted in spirituality, unity, and joy.
—Charlie Vargas, Oc Register, 8 Jan. 2026
Would Cora grow more open to life’s imperfect joys, its corny pleasures?
—Literary Hub, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for joy
Noun
The bottom line One of the absolute joys of my life is playing guitar.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for joy
Noun
-
The author of the international bestseller Butter, which only made it to English in 2024, is back with an up-to date novel about parasocial relationships, social media, the human hunt for happiness, and yes, of course, obsession.—
-
The singer, actress and model shared an emotional message with fans this week, pushing back on the idea that getting clean automatically brings peace or lasting happiness.—
Noun
-
Japan draws thirtysomethings with its diverse attractions, from culinary delights to swift transportation, catering to travelers' varied interests.—
-
Taco Bell's menu is ever-changing, bringing back fan favorites while creating new culinary delights for customers to love.—
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.—
-
If Harris can bring together a family with Indian, African, and Jewish heritage, America can glory in its diversity.—
Noun
-
Every year in late December, my childhood home transformed into a vision of American bliss.—
-
Once all the holiday bliss ended, my family always made an annual trip to the store to quickly make our exchanges and returns and get more bang for our buck.—
Noun
-
In Sonnenfeld’s telling, the president’s recent moves substitute executive discretion for market outcomes, leaving managers and shareholders operating not within a free market, but at the pleasure of the White House.—
-
Would Cora grow more open to life’s imperfect joys, its corny pleasures?—
Verb
-
But Carolina triumphed in the three-way tiebreaker, by virtue of its better overall record against the other first-place teams.—
-
The first two semi-finals were drawn, with Leeds triumphing 1-0 in the second replay, all played out before a combined total of 173,500 people at Hillsborough, Aston Villa’s Villa Park and Burnden Park in Bolton.—
Noun
-
Thick-cut bacon, Panko breadcrumbs, and a touch of sherry vinegar transform Brussels sprouts into a salty and crunchy treat.—
-
These cookies are our take on the famous Levain Bakery treats from New York City.—
Noun
-
Some tribes in the region that traditionally hold First Salmon feasts to welcome the arrival of spring salmon from the ocean have waited for their catch in vain, forcing them to ask other tribes to donate a fish, Gobin said.—
-
We were used to lives of feast or famine.—
Cite this Entry
“Joy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/joy. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share