1
as in joy
a feeling or state of well-being and contentment
felt nothing but gladness at seeing her best friend beat her out for the award
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in contentment
the feeling experienced when one's wishes are met
the children's gladness was evident as they opened their Christmas presents
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gladness
May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.
—
Abigail Van Buren, Boston Herald, 17 Mar. 2026
Hazel shrugged, but Lilian could see her gladness at being asked.
—Yiyun Li, New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2026
Over time in Middle English, myrth(e) narrowed to mean joy, amusement, or gladness, often expressed in laughter and festivity.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
Abigail Van Buren, Boston Herald, 17 Mar. 2026
Hazel shrugged, but Lilian could see her gladness at being asked.
—Yiyun Li, New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2026
Over time in Middle English, myrth(e) narrowed to mean joy, amusement, or gladness, often expressed in laughter and festivity.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gladness
Noun
-
My ila facial was pure joy—no painful extraction or aggravating scrubs here.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Look for ways to add joy to your life, whether that looks like taking more breaks or weaving artistry into your to-do list.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
There was no sign of contentment.—
Adam Lichtenstein,
Sun Sentinel,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Your 4th House of Protection hosts contentment-seeking Venus, encouraging you to take comfort in your private world.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In San Francisco, Louise encounters an influencer who asks strangers on the street to rate their happiness on the same scale.—
Nina Mesfin,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Conversations full of laughter and happiness.—
David McGrath,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Character names fade, plot twists dissolve, but the enjoyment of the moment remains.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Attempts at policing enjoyment led to the suppression of longtime carnival customs.—
Tim Brinkhof,
JSTOR Daily,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
While the morning invites a slower pace and simple pleasures, the Moon opposing chatty Mercury later can pull feelings and words in different directions.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The Leo moon tests your ability to lighten up when unexpected pleasures come knocking.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Beyer, who has a warm smile and bright-pink glasses, did not hide her satisfaction.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Cities that ranked highest tended to perform well in areas such as emotional and physical well-being, job satisfaction and strong community ties.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The legislation would require social media platforms to estimate the age of users and exclude obscene content to children 16 years old or younger.—
Angela Palermo,
Idaho Statesman,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The creation of this content included the use of AI based on templates created, reviewed and edited by journalists in the newsroom.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Whether biennials or museum shows, exhibitions are spaces for learning about images, the world, and the pains and delights of being alive.—
Raphael Fonseca,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Marlowe and Shakespeare were just refreshers for me and also gave me a chance to act out monologues for my cellmates, much to their delight and confusion.—
Jeremy O. Harris,
Vanity Fair,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gladness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gladness. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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