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
In text messages included in the original Complaint, Wayfarer’s publicist Jennifer Abel and Baldoni’s PR crisis consultant Melissa Nathan, were gloating and gleeful over the success of their campaign to destroy Lively’s career.
—
Nicole Page, IndieWire, 6 Jan. 2025
Copeland, Anderson’s editor on the book, knew the public was predisposed to regard Anderson with blithe dismissiveness, if not gleeful cruelty.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Jan. 2025
Even in this week’s episode, as two separate militias from Mechanical are making their way toward Judicial’s barricades, undaunted by Bernard’s supply blockade, the mayor seems almost gleeful.
—Noel Murray, Vulture, 20 Dec. 2024
Rock may not have been the strongest host this season, but the comic delivered an audacious monologue that seemed to inspire a similarly gleeful approach in the night’s sketches.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 15 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for gleeful 
Nicole Page, IndieWire, 6 Jan. 2025
Copeland, Anderson’s editor on the book, knew the public was predisposed to regard Anderson with blithe dismissiveness, if not gleeful cruelty.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Jan. 2025
Even in this week’s episode, as two separate militias from Mechanical are making their way toward Judicial’s barricades, undaunted by Bernard’s supply blockade, the mayor seems almost gleeful.
—Noel Murray, Vulture, 20 Dec. 2024
Rock may not have been the strongest host this season, but the comic delivered an audacious monologue that seemed to inspire a similarly gleeful approach in the night’s sketches.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 15 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for gleeful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gleeful
Adjective
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Our gift to you: have yourself a merry little moment with giant pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
24 Jan. 2025
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The American musical before 1927 had been light stuff—part operetta, part revue—a merry playground for sparklers like George M. Cohan and Cole Porter.—
Helen Shaw,
The New Yorker,
21 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The same jolly collection also returns to the Top Streaming Albums chart for another year.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes,
4 Jan. 2025
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Winter break is a jolly time of the year for many children.—
Holly Garcia,
Parents,
31 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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This luxuriously soft blanket features the FOX News logo and is available in a festive pink shade with hearts – perfect for the season of love.—
Nora Colomer,
Fox News,
31 Jan. 2025
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Classical Lunar New Year officially fell on Jan. 29, and the New York Philharmonic rings in the Year of the Snake in its usual festive manner, with a vibrant gala and a concert.—
The New Yorker,
The New Yorker,
31 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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But Lynch, who died last week, at seventy-eight, made films in which every cheerful surface seemed to obscure an eerie reality.—
Joshua Rothman,
The New Yorker,
25 Jan. 2025
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Videos of their vigorous, cheerful efforts soon went viral, drew international coverage and were a forceful counterpoint to Trump’s xenophobic insults.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Gleeful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gleeful. Accessed 4 Feb. 2025.
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