as in merry
indicative of or marked by high spirits or good humor
the gleeful atmosphere that envelops the host city of the Super Bowl
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Recent Examples of gleeful
Santat’s illustrations begin with straightforward, muted sincerity and become brighter, busier, and more gleeful—filling every corner of the page—as Sharpson’s narrator becomes ever more unhinged, ranting about fish spies, fish disguises, and fish taking over the world.
—
Elise Broach, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
The aggressive tactics of the agents and the gleeful social media posts by DHS accusing protesters of serious crimes, Fishman said, affect people’s willingness to publicly challenge the mass deportation policies.
—A.c. Thompson, ProPublica, 14 Apr. 2026
O’Brien, 86, is a gleeful raconteur who has worked as a director in the theater since the 1960s, picking up four Tony Awards along the way, including for Hairspray, and has enough anecdotes to fill at least two memoirs.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 6 Apr. 2026
Balancing their orchestrated plans with the spontaneity of a real participant is what gave the series its gleeful tension.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gleeful
Elise Broach, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
The aggressive tactics of the agents and the gleeful social media posts by DHS accusing protesters of serious crimes, Fishman said, affect people’s willingness to publicly challenge the mass deportation policies.
—A.c. Thompson, ProPublica, 14 Apr. 2026
O’Brien, 86, is a gleeful raconteur who has worked as a director in the theater since the 1960s, picking up four Tony Awards along the way, including for Hairspray, and has enough anecdotes to fill at least two memoirs.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 6 Apr. 2026
Balancing their orchestrated plans with the spontaneity of a real participant is what gave the series its gleeful tension.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gleeful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gleeful
Adjective
-
Knoxville and his merry band of delightfully sadistic goons are back for one possibly final rodeo.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
27 Apr. 2026
-
October welcomes the annual Amelia Island Jazz Festival, and December plays host to Dickens on Centre, which gives downtown Fernandina a merry Victorian makeover just before Christmas.—
Betsy Cribb Watson,
Southern Living,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The neighborhood Neighboring St Moritz was adopted in the 19th century by all those jolly-hockey-stick Brits, who introduced skiing and tobogganing, but little Sils Maria has always been more cerebral.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
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Of course, even for me there were still some jolly moments.—
Christine Smallwood,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
During the holiday season, the historic downtown welcomes over 2 million visitors to enjoy the festive activities, decorations and Christmas market.—
Ella Gonzales,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Stock up on these for everyday dining and festive barbeques.—
Carly Totten,
Better Homes & Gardens,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In recent years, Grohl has been in the news for less cheerful reasons.—
Stuart Berman,
Pitchfork,
25 Apr. 2026
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Just take a look at how this fence mural by Sarah Murphy adds a cheerful pop of color to this outdoor space.—
Tessa Cooper,
The Spruce,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gleeful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gleeful. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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