joy

/dʒɔɪ/

/dʒɔɪ/

Other forms: joys; joyed; joying

Joy is the emotion of pleasure and happiness. Joy can also be the very thing that delights you. You might find great joy in learning new vocabulary. Or not.

Joy can also be used as a verb. You can joy in the fact that you have no homework for the weekend. Or, you might want to rejoice when the teacher announces that the test has been canceled. It's a real joy to use the word as an adjective, too. For example, receiving straight A's probably makes you extremely joyful.

Definitions of joy

1. noun

   the emotion of great happiness
   synonyms: joyfulness, joyousness

   antonyms:

   sorrow

   an emotion of great sadness associated with loss or bereavement

   types:

   elation, high spirits, lightness

   a feeling of joy and pride

   exultation, jubilance, jubilancy, jubilation

   a feeling of extreme joy

   excitement, exhilaration

   the feeling of lively and cheerful joy

   exuberance

   joyful enthusiasm

   triumph

   the exultation of victory

   bang, boot, charge, flush, kick, rush, thrill

   the swift release of a store of affective force

   intoxication

   excitement and elation beyond the bounds of sobriety

   titillation

   a tingling feeling of excitement (as from teasing or tickling)

   euphoria, euphory

   a feeling of great (usually exaggerated) elation

   type of:

   emotion

   any strong feeling
2. noun

   something or someone that provides a source of happiness
   “a joy to behold”

   synonyms: delight, pleasure

   type of:

   positive stimulus

   a stimulus with desirable consequences
3. verb

   feel happiness or joy
   synonyms: rejoice

   types:

   cheer, cheer up, chirk up

   become cheerful

   gladden

   become glad or happy

   be on cloud nine, exult, jump for joy, walk on air

   feel extreme happiness or elation

   exuberate, exult, jubilate, rejoice, triumph

   to express great joy

   buoy up, lighten, lighten up

   become more cheerful

   rejoice, triumph, wallow

   be ecstatic with joy

   type of:

   experience, feel

   undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind
4. verb

   make glad or happy
   synonyms: gladden

   types:

   overjoy

   cause to feel extremely joyful or happy