Gleefulness
n.joyful, energeticwarm
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.
Choose between these
6- everyday
a shorter, more natural noun suits sudden delight
not when Glee can more readily suggest pleasure at another person's trouble.
- warm
deep pleasure matters without emphasizing lively display
not when Delight can remain private and composed.
- warm
shared laughter and festivity are central
not when Merriment belongs to a social occasion more than one person's quality.
- formal
an intense high follows welcome news
not when Elation names the feeling but not its playful outward expression.
- formal
public triumph follows a major success
not when Jubilation is too grand for small everyday pleasure.
- literary
overflowing energy is the main feature
not when Exuberance may express enthusiasm rather than happiness.
Said against
3- sorrow
- gloom
- dejection
It naturally appears in
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.
The word family
2Usage notes
Glee and its derivatives can imply pleasure in another person's misfortune. Add the object of the feeling when that ambiguity matters.