Antonyms for joyful
ˈdʒɔɪ fəljoy·ful

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:2.0 / 1 vote

1. joyful

   Happy primarily refers to something that comes "by good hap," a chance that brings prosperity, benefit, or success.

   And grasps the skirts of happy chance.

   Tennyson In Memoriam lxiii, st. 2.

   In this sense happy is closely allied to fortunate and lucky. (See FORTUNATE.) Happy has, however, so far diverged from this original sense as to apply to advantages where chance is not recognized, or is even excluded by direct reference to the divine will, when it becomes almost equivalent to blessed.

   Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth.

   Job v, 17.

   Happy is also applied to the ready dexterity or skill by which favorable results (usually in minor matters) are secured, when it becomes a synonym for dexterous, felicitous, and the associated words; as, he has a happy wit; happy at retort (compare CLEVER). In its most frequent present use, happy is applied to the state of one enjoying happiness, or to that by which happiness is expressed; as, a happy heart; a happy face; happy laughter; happy tears (compare synonyms for HAPPINESS). Cheerful applies to the possession or expression of a moderate and tranquil happiness. A cheery word spontaneously gives cheer to others; a cheering word is more distinctly planned to cheer and encourage. Gay applies to an effusive and superficial happiness (often not really worthy of that name) perhaps resulting largely from abundant animal spirits: we speak of gay revelers or a gay horse. A buoyant spirit is, as it were, borne up by joy and hope. A sunny disposition has a constant tranquil brightness that irradiates all who come within its influence.

   Compare synonyms for GRIEF.

   Synonyms:
   blessed, blissful, blithe, blithesome, bright, buoyant, cheerful, cheering, cheery, delighted, delightful, dexterous, felicitous, fortunate, gay, glad, happy, jocund, jolly, joyous, lucky, merry, mirthful, pleased, prosperous, rapturous, rejoiced, rejoicing, smiling, sprightly, successful, sunny

   Preposition:
   A happy event for him; happy at a reply; happy in his home, with his friends, among his children; happy at the discovery, over his success.

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:4.0 / 2 votes

1. joyful

   Synonyms:
   happy, joyous, gladsome, blissful

Princeton's WordNetRate these antonyms:3.5 / 2 votes

1. joyfuladjective

   full of or producing joy

   "make a joyful noise"; "a joyful occasion"

   Antonyms:
   elegiac, mournful, lamenting, mourning(a), tearful, brokenhearted, sorrowing(a), dolourous, dolorous, heartsick, bitter, lugubrious, grief-stricken, sad, bereaved, grievous, woebegone, heartrending, tormented, weeping, sorrowful, joyless, grieving, tortured, plaintive, heartbroken, anguished, woeful, bereft, heartbreaking, wailful, lachrymose, wailing

   Synonyms:
   gleeful, jubilant, elated

2. elated, gleeful, joyful, jubilantadjective

   full of high-spirited delight

   "a joyful heart"

   Antonyms:
   heartsick, tearful, wailful, woebegone, lachrymose, lugubrious, heartrending, dolourous, woeful, grievous, sad, bitter, weeping, sorrowful, heartbreaking, sorrowing(a), joyless, wailing, bereft, grief-stricken, plaintive, heartbroken, mourning(a), dolorous, mournful, tortured, tormented, elegiac, lamenting, brokenhearted, bereaved, anguished, grieving

   Synonyms:
   exulting, elated, exultant, triumphant, rejoicing, prideful, jubilant, triumphal, gleeful

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. joyfuladjective

   Synonyms:
   joyous, glad, elated, jubilant, exhilarating, happy, buoyant, merry, encouraging, felicitous

Editors ContributionRate these antonyms:5.0 / 1 vote

1. tearfully

   Submitted by anonymous on December 2, 2019  

How to use joyful in a sentence?

1. Debasish Mridha, M.D.:

   Be joyful, beautiful, tranquil like a tree.

2. Purvi Raniga:

   Yoga teaches Patience. Yoga teaches Endurance. Yoga teaches to be Kind. Yoga teaches to be Compassionate. Yoga teaches to be Fearless. Yoga teaches to be Present. Yoga teaches us to be Joyful. Yoga teaches us many life lessons everyday.

3. Bryant McGill:

   The true creator-self is a light at heart and free child, who accesses destiny as a simple act of joyful play.

4. Donald Trump and Ted Cruz:

   What a voice Phil has to speak out for the love of Jesus, what a joyful, cheerful, unapologetic voice of truth Phil Robertson is.

5. Raquel Uriostegui:

   My daughter was a very joyful girl. She had a lot of dreams, she wanted to do great things, like all of us.

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