joie de vivre

noun

Definition of joie de vivrenext
as in enjoyment
formal a feeling of happiness or excitement about life She is admired for her energy and joie de vivre.

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of joie de vivre The memories, artwork, belly laughter, handmade jewelry, oil paintings, sculptures, costumes, and all around joie de vivre live on. — Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 15 June 2026 The memories, artwork, belly laughter, handmade jewelry, oil paintings, sculptures, costumes and all around joie de vivre live on. — Brenton Blanchet, PEOPLE, 15 June 2026 Malek plays a New York performance artist named Jimmy George in the 1980s, who has an affair with the cute ginger twink who’s just moved in downstairs as a sort of last grab at joie de vivre before the disease inevitably takes him down. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 25 May 2026 Joie de vivre Happy-go-lucky hounds have an abundance of joie de vivre, a French phrase that refers to a cheerful and exuberant enjoyment of life. — Aditya Simha, The Conversation, 7 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for joie de vivre
Recent Examples of Synonyms for joie de vivre
  1. enjoyment
  2. delight
  3. joyfulness
  4. cheerfulness
Noun
  • Don’t let the pressure of a specific end goal cloud your enjoyment of the ride.
    — Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • But the combat happens in short spurts, allowing a fair amount of downtime for recuperation, conversation and enjoyment of the sport.
    — Rebecca Leib, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of enjoyment
Noun
  • Seeing ominous vines twist to life on towering trees, or watching the Cheshire Cat materialize through the woodland setting, is always a delight.
    — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • And the vongole, an instant take on the famous clam pasta, is an unexpected delight.
    — Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of delight
Noun
  • Gus Birney, Shulman’s real-life daughter, brings an ineffable lightness to Sarah Nell, the joyfulness and sweetness of the portrayal all the more wondrous before of all the darkness that surrounds it.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Beyond the absurdly catchy music and the rom-com story, part of the show’s joyfulness comes from its colorful costumes and beachy aesthetic.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
Definition of joyfulness
Noun
  • The service Professionalism comes with genuine warmth, cheerfulness, and a sense of people absolutely loving their jobs.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Kikuko sometimes mistook Shigejiro’s cheerfulness for egoism owing to the distortions produced by her illness.
    — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of cheerfulness

Browse Nearby Words

johns
joie de vivre
join
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Cite this Entry

“Joie de vivre.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/joie%20de%20vivre. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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