jovial

adjective

jo·vial ˈjō-vē-əl

-vyəl

Synonyms of jovial next

: characterized by good-humored cheerfulness and conviviality : jolly

a jovial host

a jovial welcome

spent a jovial evening together

capitalized : of or relating to Jove

joviality

ˌjō-vē-ˈa-lə-tē

noun

jovially

ˈjō-vē-ə-lē

-vyə-

adverb

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Jovial and Birth Dates

In Roman astrology, planets were named after gods, and people were thought to share the personality traits of the god whose planet was rising when they were born. Jupiter, also called Jove, was the chief Roman god and was considered a majestic type who was the source of joy and happiness. The Latin adjective jovialis means "of or relating to Jove." In French, this had become jovial, which English borrowed and used to describe people and things full of cheer or joy.

Choose the Right Synonym for jovial

merry, blithe, jocund, jovial, jolly mean showing high spirits or lightheartedness.

merry suggests cheerful, joyous, uninhibited enjoyment of frolic or festivity.

a merry group of revelers

blithe suggests carefree, innocent, or even heedless gaiety.

arrived late in his usual blithe way

jocund stresses elation and exhilaration of spirits.

singing, dancing, and jocund feasting

jovial suggests the stimulation of conviviality and good fellowship.

dinner put them in a jovial mood

jolly suggests high spirits expressed in laughing, bantering, and jesting.

our jolly host enlivened the party

Examples of jovial in a Sentence

In response, an infuriating wink: Alsana always likes to appear jovial at the very moment that her interlocutor becomes hot under the collar. —

Zadie Smith, White Teeth, 2001

I felt I was slumming, in my own life. My task was to ward off the drivel … the jovial claptrap of classmates and teachers, the maddening bromides I heard at home. —

Susan Sontag, New Yorker, 21 Dec. 1987

For, the people who were shovelling away on the housetops were jovial and full of glee; calling out to one another from the parapets, and now and then exchanging a facetious snowball … —

Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol, 1843

The audience was in a jovial mood. He's a very jovial man.

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.

During the festive meal, guests started singing at the top of their lungs and dancing along to the lively tunes of the Juke Joints from ALR Music, a roaming band that kept the mood jovial and energetic throughout dinner. —

Alexandra MacOn, Vogue, 31 Oct. 2024 Comfortable in front of the camera, the two actors make the ludicrous proceedings jovial enough. —

Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 3 Oct. 2024 The cheery fall aesthetic of the program's seasonal set existed for mere seconds at the top of the live broadcast, before an issue with Joy Behar's chair pierced through the otherwise jovial pre-holiday atmosphere. —

EW.com, 27 Nov. 2024 There is something so special and harmonious in using the same hues to warm up the face and accentuate the eyes—especially when the shades are as jovial as Chanel’s Enchanted Night palette, inspired by the northern lights and snowfall. —

Kiana Murden, Vogue, 27 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for jovial