joyous

IPA/ˈdʒɔɪəs/
KK[dʒˈɔɪəs]IPA/ˈdʒɔɪəs/

joyous — adjective

  • joyouspositive
  • more joyouscomparative
  • most joyoussuperlative

1. feeling or showing great happiness, often about a special event such as a weddin

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

feeling or showing great happiness, often about a special event such as a wedding, a homecoming, or a religious celebration.

Example

Pedro's grandmother sang a joyous song when he came home from the army.

joyous + noun (song, occasion)

The wedding of Isabela and Karim was a joyous gathering of two large families.

joyous occasion / gathering / celebration

Common collocations
  • joyous occasion
  • joyous celebration
  • joyous reunion
  • joyous shouts / laughter
  • joyous song / hymn
  • feel joyous
Synonyms
  • joyful

    near-equivalent and slightly more common; both work in formal writing

  • jubilant

    stronger and more public — celebratory triumph rather than warm happiness

  • elated

    intensely happy in the moment, often after good news; less tied to ceremonies

  • ecstatic

    even stronger than elated — overwhelming joy, often informal

Antonyms
  • sorrowful

    formal opposite — full of sadness

  • mournful

    expressing grief, especially for a loss

  • gloomy

    everyday word for low spirits, less formal

Usage Note

More formal and literary than 'happy' or 'joyful'. Most natural before nouns naming events, sounds, or moments (occasion, celebration, song, laughter); predicative use after 'be' or 'feel' is correct but less common in everyday speech.

Common Mistakes

I had a joyous lunch with my friend yesterday.
I had a happy lunch with my friend yesterday.
'joyous' is reserved for special, emotionally heightened events, not ordinary daily activities.
She was very joyous because the bus arrived on time.
She was very pleased because the bus arrived on time.
small everyday satisfactions take 'pleased' or 'glad', not 'joyous'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All five words describe strong happiness, but they differ in register and intensity. 'Joyous' is the most formal and ceremonial — used for weddings, religious holidays, and other heightened events, often in writing or speech meant to sound elevated. 'Joyful' is nearly the same in meaning but lighter and more common in everyday writing; you might say 'a joyful child' but rarely 'a joyous child'. 'Jubilant' adds a public, celebratory edge — fans are jubilant after a sports victory. 'Elated' is sudden and personal: someone feels elated after passing an exam or getting good news. 'Ecstatic' goes furthest, suggesting overwhelming, almost uncontrollable happiness. So a bride may feel ecstatic on a joyous morning, surrounded by joyful relatives and jubilant friends.

joyous ↗joyful ↗jubilant ↗elated ↗ecstatic ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • a joyous occasion
  • a joyous celebration
  • joyous laughter

Prepositions

  • joyous about (something)

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

Borrowed into Middle English from Old French 'joious' (modern French 'joyeux'), itself from Latin 'gaudiosus', built on 'gaudium' meaning gladness or delight. The same Latin root gives English 'joy' and 'rejoice'. The '-ous' ending marks adjectives meaning 'full of' the noun root, so 'joyous' literally describes someone or something full of joy.