Happy
Means to show pleasure, joy, or contentment. Happy is simply feeling good.
- Whenever the sun is out I feel happy.
- I haven’t been happy at this company for a long time.
There are many synonyms that can be substituted for the word happy. Here are some of the most popular.
1. Cheerfuland Cheery
Means that someone is happy and optimistic. They are so happy that it can be visibly seen on their face and in their demeanor. Cheerful people are usually always smiling.
- I love hanging out with Beth, she’s always so cheerful.
- He was so cheerful, it looked like he was skipping through the streets.
- You have such a cheery personality.
2. Merry and Jolly
Means that someone is cheerful, and you can see the joy on their face. It can also be used to hope that someone has a good day. It is often used to wish someone a Merry Christmas.
People often think about a merry or jolly person being happy and always smiling, and unfortunately they are traditionally thought of as being fat. These words are associated with Santa Claus.
- You look particularly merry today, did something good happen.
- I want to wish you a Merry Christmas before you leave to visit your family.
- Have a jolly Christmas.
- He has a great big jolly laugh.
3. Joyful
Means to express great happiness for or about something. It can be used to not just express how someone feels in that moment, but also how someone feels about something.
- I’m feeling very joyful today.
- Working for this company has been a joyful experience.
4. Jovial
Means that someone is happy, cheerful, and lively. Jovial is almost always used to describe someone’s personality. Someone who is jovial is often very talkative and socializes with people.
- He’s so jovial. It’s fun to be around him and he talks to everyone.
5. Jocular
Refers to someone who is being playful or is joking.
- He’s in a jocular mood, he’s been telling jokes all afternoon.
6. Gleeful
Refers to someone triumphantly joyful. Someone is usually gleeful after something really good happens.
- After getting such a great score, she was gleeful.
7. Carefree
Means that someone does not have any worries or burdensome responsibilities. It is usually used to describe someone not having to do or worry about anything, or it is described as an attitude.
- It was nice to have a carefree vacation.
- His carefree attitude didn’t make sense, considering he was in so much financial trouble.
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8. Delighted
Refers to someone who is please or who is showing that they are finding pleasure in something. Someone is often delighted in reaction to something.
- I am delighted at how quickly our new furniture was delivered.
9. Lighthearted
Means that someone or something is lighthearted and entertaining. It usually describes a mood.
- The film was lighthearted.
- She was lighthearted even after such a stressful day.
10. Pleased
Means that someone is happy with or likes something.
- I am pleased with the outcome of our meeting.
11. Contented and Content
Refers to someone being happy and peaceful. Content isn’t the same as being cheerful or jovial, it’s a little bit less happy than that.
- I was very content with our conversation.
- He was contented with the agreement that was struck.
12. Satisfied
Means pleased and content. This can be a synonym for happy, but it’s not as strong as many of the other synonyms. It can mean happy, but it can also just be the absence of being unhappy.
- I was satisfied with the amount of people that attended the party.
13. Buoyant
Means that someone is cheerful and optimistic. Buoyant also means to float, and as a synonym of happy, a person who is buoyant seems as if they are so happy that they are floating. Someone who is buoyant is extremely happy.
- She was buoyant after her graduation ceremony.
14. Radiant
Means that something is sending out light. In the case of being a synonym to happy, it means that someone is so happy that you can see the joy coming off of them. Their face lights up.
- The smile on the grooms face was radiant when he saw his bride walk towards him down the aisle.
15. Gratified
Means that someone is being given a lot of pleasure and satisfaction. A person is happy in a grateful way.
- He was gratified to see how many people showed up for his performance.
