Glee
n.joyful, energeticplayful
What it means
Lively delight that is difficult to keep hidden.
Reach for it when describing open, energetic happiness, often at a welcome surprise
The children shouted with glee when the first duckling reached the pond.
Choose between these
8- everyday
pleasure arises from a particular discovery or event
not when Delight can be refined and restrained rather than gleeful.
- everyday
high energy and anticipation matter more than happiness
not when Excitement can come from fear or tension and need not be joyful.
- warm
general good spirits should feel wholesome and steady
not when Cheer lacks the mischievous or bursting quality of glee.
- warm
the positive feeling may be deep as well as lively
not when Joy may be quiet or inward, unlike visibly exuberant glee.
- formal
success produces an intense emotional high
not when Elation is grander and more sustained than a burst of glee.
- formal
the happiness is actively expressed after good news
not when Rejoicing can carry ceremonial or religious weight.
- literary
public celebration follows a major victory
not when It is excessive for a small private pleasure.
- literary
shared laughter and festivity create the mood
not when Merriment describes a social atmosphere, not one person's delighted reaction.
Said against
3- sorrow
- gloom
- disappointment
It naturally appears in
3- shout with glee
The class began to shout with glee when the robot finally moved.
- childlike glee
He opened the box of old photographs with childlike glee.
- barely concealed glee
Her barely concealed glee gave away the surprise.
Where this comes from
- wiktionary, English noun sense: exuberant joy or delight opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.