Revel
v.joyful, energeticliterary
What it means
To take lively, wholehearted pleasure in something.
Reach for it when describing openly enjoyed delight rather than quiet appreciation
The children reveled in the first deep snow of winter.
Choose between these
6- playful
have a blast
uninhibited fun suits informal speech
not when This breezy idiom undercuts dignified prose.
- everyday
simple positive experience is enough
not when Enjoy lacks revel's exuberance.
- warm
joy is shared through action
not when Celebration may honor someone else.
- warm
delight in
strong pleasure is expressed gracefully
not when Delight can be quieter.
- formal
glory in
proud pleasure is intense
not when Glorying can imply vanity.
- literary
bask in
pleasure is savored at length
not when Basking may appear self-satisfied.
Said against
3- loathe
- mourn
- endure
It naturally appears in
3- revel in success
The apprentices reveled in the success of their first exhibition.
- revel in freedom
Released birds seemed to revel in freedom.
- revel together
Neighbors reveled together after the final whistle.
Where this comes from
- wiktionary, English verb sense: take great pleasure 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.