Gleefulness
What it means
The quality of showing lively, openly expressed delight.
Reach for it when naming delight whose energy is visible in voice, face, or movement
Her gleefulness returned as the surprise guests entered.
Words to choose between 6
| everyday | |
|---|---|
| warm | |
| formal | |
| literary |
-
everyday
Fits when a shorter, more natural noun suits sudden delight
Careful Glee can more readily suggest pleasure at another person's trouble.
-
warm
Fits when deep pleasure matters without emphasizing lively display
Careful Delight can remain private and composed.
-
warm
Fits when shared laughter and festivity are central
Careful Merriment belongs to a social occasion more than one person's quality.
-
formal
Fits when an intense high follows welcome news
Careful Elation names the feeling but not its playful outward expression.
-
formal
Fits when public triumph follows a major success
Careful Jubilation is too grand for small everyday pleasure.
-
literary
Fits when overflowing energy is the main feature
Careful Exuberance may express enthusiasm rather than happiness.
Opposites 3
- sorrow
- gloom
- dejection
Common phrases 3
-
childlike gleefulness
Childlike gleefulness lit her face when the model train moved.
-
open gleefulness
His open gleefulness made the award feel shared.
-
gleefulness at the result
Their gleefulness at the result never became mockery of the other team.
Word family 2
Usage notes
Keep in mind
Glee and its derivatives can imply pleasure in another person's misfortune. Add the object of the feeling when that ambiguity matters.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Updated