gladden

/ˈɡlædn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɡlædn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈgla-dᵊn/ (ame, mw)

gladden — verb

  • gladdenpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • gladdenshe / she / it
  • gladdenedpast simple
  • gladdening-ing form

1. to cause someone to feel cheerful and pleased, or to add brightness and joy to a

1.動詞及物C1
釋義

to cause someone to feel cheerful and pleased, or to add brightness and joy to an event, place, or experience — for example, having good news gladden your heart, or a kind gesture gladden your day.

例句

Mrs. Chen's heart was gladdened by the news of her daughter's promotion.

gladden + heart (common collocation); passive form

Seeing the children playing happily in the garden gladdened the older couple on the bench.

同義詞
  • cheer

    less formal, often used when comforting someone who is sad

  • delight

    stronger emotional impact; suggests great pleasure rather than quiet happiness

  • please

    more general and commonly used; covers any kind of satisfaction

  • hearten

    similar literary register; focuses on giving courage or hope

反義詞
  • sadden

    direct opposite — to cause unhappiness

  • depress

    stronger and more lasting emotional effect

文法句型

gladden + object (person or abstract noun)

用法筆記

Commonly used in literary or formal writing. The object is often an abstract noun such as heart, spirit, or day, rather than a concrete person. In everyday speech, make happy or cheer up are more natural alternatives.

常見錯誤

❌The joke gladdened me a lot.
✅The joke made me laugh a lot.
💡'gladden' sounds too formal and literary for casual situations; use 'make happy' or 'cheer up' instead.

2. to become cheerful and bright, often as a visible reaction to something pleasant

2.動詞不及物C1
釋義

to become cheerful and bright, often as a visible reaction to something pleasant; to experience a shift toward happiness, especially shown through one's expression or mood.

例句

Yuna's face gladdened when she saw her best friend waiting at the airport gate.

intransitive: face / heart / eyes gladden

Omar's heart gladdened at the thought of spending summer by the sea with his cousins.

同義詞
  • brighten

    more common and slightly less formal; often used for faces and expressions

  • light up

    more vivid and common in everyday language; suggests a sudden, clear change

  • perk up

    informal; suggests recovering from a low mood

文法句型

[subject — typically heart, face, expression, eyes] + gladden + (prepositional phrase)

用法筆記

The subject is usually a body part or expression (heart, face, eyes, expression) rather than a person directly. Describes a visible or felt change in mood, triggered by a specific event.

常見錯誤

❌She gladdened at the news.
✅Her face gladdened at the news.
💡The subject should be a visible expression or body part, not the person themselves.