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Definition of joyful adjective from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

joyful

adjective
 
/ˈdʒɔɪfl/
 
/ˈdʒɔɪfl/
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  1. very happy; causing people to be happy
    • She gave a joyful laugh.
    • It was a joyful reunion of all the family.
    Synonyms happyhappysatisfied ▪ content ▪ contented ▪ joyful ▪ blissfulThese words all describe feeling, showing or giving pleasure.happy feeling, showing or giving pleasure; satisfied with something or not worried about it:
    • a happy marriage/​memory/​childhood
    • I said I’d go, just to keep him happy.
    satisfied pleased because you have achieved something or because something has happened as you wanted it to; showing this:
    • She’s never satisfied with what she’s got.
    • a satisfied smile
    content [not before noun] happy and satisfied with what you have:
    • I’m perfectly content just to lie in the sun.
    contented happy and comfortable with what you have; showing this:
    • a contented baby
    • a long contented sigh
     content or contented?Being contented depends more on having a comfortable life; being content can depend more on your attitude to your life: you can learn to be content with something by changing your attitude to it. People or animals can be contented but only people can be content.joyful (rather formal) very happy; making people very happyblissful making people very happy; showing this happiness:
    • three blissful weeks away
    joyful or blissful?Joy is a livelier feeling; bliss is more peaceful.Patterns
    • happy/​satisfied/​content/​contented with something
    • a happy/​satisfied/​contented/​blissful smile
    • a happy/​joyful occasion/​celebration
    • to feel happy/​satisfied/​content/​contented/​joyful
    • very/​perfectly/​quite happy/​satisfied/​content/​contented
    Topics Feelingsc1
    Oxford Collocations DictionaryJoyful is used with these nouns:
    • reunion
    See full entry
See joyful in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
Check pronunciation: joyful

Nearby words

sufficiently
adverb
 
 
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