gleeful

adjective

glee·​ful ˈglē-fəl How to pronounce gleeful (audio)
Synonyms of gleefulnext
: full of glee : merry
gleeful laughter
gleefully
ˈglē-fə-lē How to pronounce gleeful (audio)
adverb
gleefulness noun

Synonyms of gleeful

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Examples of gleeful in a Sentence

the gleeful atmosphere that envelops the host city of the Super Bowl
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The bikes were a smart and gleeful way to make the most of our limited time in South Lake Tahoe. — Wendy Altschuler, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 Mitchell’s own imitation of Spielbergian life, despite its meticulous re-creation (and gleeful destruction) of eighties suburbia, stumbles into an uncanny valley between sincerity and cynicism, between unintentional comedy and deliberate homage. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026 The gleeful melodies of the church choir practicing next door seeped in. — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2026 Both gleeful gore and anachronistic music have been part of Lizzie Borden pop-culture lore before. — Dan Medeiros, USA Today, 4 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gleeful

Word History

First Known Use

1586, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gleeful was in 1586

Rhymes for gleeful

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Browse Nearby Words

gleed
gleeful
gleek
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Cite this Entry

“Gleeful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gleeful. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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