INDEX:
1. feeling happy
2. happy because something good has happened
3. very happy because something good has happened
4. happy most of the time
5. to make someone feel happy
6. to feel happy again after feeling sad
7. a happy feeling
8. a happy time/situation/occasion
9. a film, story, piece of music that makes you happy
RELATED WORDS
become happy again after a period of problems or unhappiness : ↑ RECOVER (4-5)
see also
↑ ENTHUSIASTIC/UNENTHUSIASTIC
↑ ENJOY
↑ SMILE
↑ LAUGH
↑ SATISFIED/NOT SATISFIED
↑ EXCITED/EXCITING
↑ CONFIDENT/NOT CONFIDENT
◆◆◆
1. feeling happy
▷ happy /ˈhæpi/ [adjective]
someone who is happy seems relaxed and cheerful, and feels that their life is good, especially because they are in a situation, job, or relationship that they enjoy :
▪ For the first five years of their marriage they were very happy.
▪ She seems a lot happier now that she’s got a new job.
to do something
▪ I was very happy to be back home.
happy doing something
▪ We were quite happy living in Africa.
happily [adverb]
▪ The two children were playing happily in the garden.
▷ cheerful /ˈtʃɪəʳf ə l/ [adjective]
behaving in a way that shows you are happy, for example by smiling, laughing, or being very friendly :
▪ Amelia seemed a little more cheerful today than last week.
▪ She greeted us with a cheerful smile.
▪ ‘Fine, thanks,’ he replied in a cheerful manner.
cheerfully [adverb]
▪ ‘We’re almost there,’ Robin said cheerfully.
▷ be in a good mood /biː ɪn ə ˌgʊd ˈmuːd/ [verb phrase]
to be happy at this particular time and therefore friendly to other people :
▪ Why are you in such a good mood this morning?
▪ I was in quite a good mood till you asked me that.
▷ content /kənˈtent/ [adjective not before noun]
satisfied with what you have, so that you are happy enough and do not want anything else :
▪ All he needs is a good book to read and he is quite content.
content with
▪ Carla seems pretty much content with her life.
content to do something
▪ We were perfectly content to go on walking until it got dark.
▷ cheery /ˈtʃɪ ə ri/ [adjective usually before noun]
happy - use this when someone’s behaviour and the way they talk seems happy :
▪ The woman behind the counter greeted us with a cheery hello.
▪ ‘How wonderful,’ he said, but his cheery tone sounded a bit forced.
2. happy because something good has happened
▷ happy /ˈhæpi/ [adjective not before noun]
feeling happy because something good has happened or is going to happen :
▪ They returned from their vacation feeling happy and relaxed.
▪ The children’s happy faces were reward enough.
happy about
▪ Is she happy about being pregnant?
happy (that)
▪ Grandma is so happy that everyone will be there for Christmas.
happy to see/hear/learn/be etc
▪ I’m just happy to be home again.
▪ They were happy to see Flynn looking so much better.
happy for somebody
happy because something nice has happened to someone else
▪ I’m so happy for you - I know how much you wanted the job.
▷ pleased /pliːzd/ [adjective not before noun]
happy and satisfied that something has happened, especially something that has happened to someone else or something good they have done :
▪ ‘That was quite a performance,’ he said, looking pleased.
pleased with
▪ We’re all quite pleased with Amanda’s progress.
pleased about
▪ His parents were very pleased about his award.
pleased to see/hear/learn/be etc
▪ You’ll be pleased to hear that your application has been accepted.
pleased (that)
▪ Laurie was pleased that her daughter decided to go to college.
▷ glad /glæd/ [adjective not before noun]
happy about a situation, especially because it has improved or because it is not as bad as it could have been :
▪ We were all glad when it was time to go home.
glad (that)
▪ She was glad that the birthday party was a success.
▪ ‘The meal was excellent.’ ‘I’m glad you liked it.’
glad to see/hear/learn etc
▪ Viv was glad to learn they’d reached home safely.
▷ be tickled /biː ˈtɪk ə ld/ [verb phrase] informal
to feel happy and pleased that something has happened or that someone has done something for you, especially when it is amusing or unusual :
be tickled about/with
▪ Kurt is tickled about all the attention he’s been getting.
be tickled (that)
▪ We’re tickled that the magazine has become so popular.
be tickled pink/be tickled to death
feel very happy
▪ I’m sure Dick will be tickled pink to see you.
▷ gloat /gləʊt/ [intransitive verb]
to show in an unpleasant way that you are happy about your own success or someone else’s failure or problems :
▪ He has an unpleasant habit of gloating whenever he wins at tennis.
▪ I hate to gloat, you guys, but I told you it wouldn’t work.
gloat over
▪ It was horrible to see her gloating over her brother’s misfortune.
▷ gleeful /ˈgliːf ə l/ [adjective]
really enjoying the fact that something good has happened to you or that something bad has happened to someone else :
▪ She seemed almost gleeful when I told her Hope had been fired.
▪ The park was full of gleeful children playing on sleds.
gleefully [adverb]
▪ ‘Go ahead and ask him - he won’t help you either!’ Phil yelled gleefully.
3. very happy because something good has happened
▷ delighted /dɪˈlaɪtɪd, dɪˈlaɪtəd/ [adjective not before noun]
▪ When she saw the new car, she was delighted.
delighted about
▪ His parents were absolutely delighted about the baby.
delighted at
▪ Andrea was delighted at the chance to go to the Bolshoi ballet.
delighted to hear/see/learn/be etc
▪ I was delighted to hear you were getting married.
delighted (that)
▪ We are delighted that the negotiations have been completed successfully.
▷ thrilled /θrɪld/ [adjective not before noun]
very happy and excited about something that has happened :
▪ You should go for a visit - my parents would be thrilled.
thrilled with
▪ Louise is thrilled with the changes she has seen in her son’s behavior.
thrilled at/by
▪ She was thrilled at the possibility of being sent to Europe.
thrilled (that)
▪ My mother’s thrilled that the new house is so close to the park.
thrilled to do something
▪ She was thrilled to have her picture taken with Mel Gibson.
thrilled to bits
very thrilled
▪ We were thrilled to bits when our daughter appeared on TV.
▷ be (sitting) on top of the world /biː (ˌsɪtɪŋ) ɒn ˌtɒp əv ðə ˈwɜːʳldǁ-ˌtɑːp-/ [verb phrase]
to feel extremely happy and confident because you are very successful or because something very good has happened to you :
▪ Since the baby came Anna’s been on top of the world.
▪ After Mark got the promotion, he was sitting on top of the world.
▷ be over the moon /biː ˌəʊvəʳ ðə ˈmuːn/ [verb phrase] British informal
to be very happy about something good that has happened, especially something that makes you proud of yourself :
▪ ‘How does it feel to have scored the winning goal?’ ‘Over the moon, Brian.’
▪ When she discovered she’d got the job she was over the moon.
▷ overjoyed /ˌəʊvəʳˈdʒɔɪd/ [adjective] written
very happy about something, especially a piece of good news :
▪ Naturally I was overjoyed when I was offered the part in the play.
overjoyed to see/hear/learn/be etc
▪ My parents were overjoyed to see my brother again.
▷ ecstatic /ɪkˈstætɪk, ek-/ [adjective]
extremely happy and excited about something :
▪ The kids were ecstatic when we brought home the new video game system.
ecstatic about/over
▪ Coggan said his clients were ecstatic about the judge’s ruling.
ecstatically [adverb]
▪ Josie’s little arms twined around the dog, hugging him ecstatically.
▷ jubilant /ˈdʒuːbɪlənt, ˈdʒuːbələnt/ [adjective]
use this about a crowd of people who are very happy about something, for example because they have won something :
▪ The jubilant fans lifted the players up on their shoulders.
▷ elated /ɪˈleɪtɪd, ɪˈleɪtəd/ [adjective not before noun] written
very happy and excited for a short time, especially because you have achieved something that is important to you :
▪ When I told her the news I thought she’d be elated.
elated by/at/with
▪ Jeremy felt elated by this sudden and unexpected success.
▪ Elated with the election victory, the crowd waved banners and chanted.
▷ joyful /ˈdʒɔɪf ə l/ [adjective]
a group of people that are joyful are extremely happy, especially because they are celebrating a happy event - used especially in literature :
▪ The streets of the city were filled with joyful crowds celebrating the New Year.
▪ After their election victory, party members seemed positively joyful.
joyfully [adverb]
▪ The hospital released her, and her family joyfully welcomed her home.
▷ radiant /ˈreɪdiənt/ [adjective]
looking extremely happy :
▪ He was radiant with excitement when he came off the stage.
▪ She announced, with a radiant smile, that she was going to have a baby.
radiantly [adverb]
▪ She smiled radiantly and gestured him toward her.
4. happy most of the time
▷ happy /ˈhæpi/ [adjective]
▪ Mike was a happy child and never gave us any trouble at all.
▪ Sarah’s main aim in life is simply to be happy.
happily [adverb]
▪ They have been happily married for 30 years.
▷ cheerful /ˈtʃɪəʳf ə l/ [adjective]
usually behaving in a way that shows you are happy, by smiling, laughing, talking in a happy way, etc :
▪ Thomas was cheerful and good-natured, and we soon became good friends.
▪ She’s kind of like a puppy - she’s so cheerful and friendly.
▷ contented /kənˈtentɪd, kənˈtentəd/ [adjective]
happy and satisfied with your life :
▪ He seems to be getting more contented as he gets older.
▪ We spent ten contented years together.
contentedly [adverb]
▪ The cat sat on my lap purring contentedly.
▷ have a happy/cheerful/sunny disposition /hæv ə ˌhæpi, ˌtʃɪəʳf ə l, ˌsʌni dɪspəˈzɪʃ ə n/ [verb phrase not in progressive]
to have a happy character and always behave in a happy way, even when there are problems :
▪ Rosalind had a sunny disposition and a pleasant smile.
▪ Marcia managed to keep a cheerful disposition despite her troubles at home.
▷ jolly /ˈdʒɒliǁˈdʒɑː-/ [adjective] British
usually behaving in a cheerful, friendly way :
▪ My uncle was a jolly man with a loud laugh.
▪ Sue was always jolly and helpful.
5. to make someone feel happy
▷ make somebody happy /ˌmeɪk somebody ˈhæpi/ [verb phrase not in passive]
▪ He would do anything to make her happy.
▪ Would winning a million dollars really make you happy?
▪ It made him happy to see how much they enjoyed the presents.
▷ cheer up /ˌtʃɪər ˈʌp/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to do something for someone who is sad in order to make them happy :
cheer somebody up
▪ I tried to cheer him up by telling a joke.
cheer up somebody
▪ As a clown he visits local hospitals to cheer up sick children.
▷ make somebody’s day /ˌmeɪk somebodyˈs ˈdeɪ/ [verb phrase] informal
to say or do something to someone that makes them suddenly feel very happy :
▪ Sherry’s phone call really made my day.
▪ Go on, tell him you like his new suit. It’ll make his day!
▷ please /pliːz/ [transitive verb]
to do something to make someone happy, especially because they want you to do it :
▪ I only got married to please my parents.
▪ Sam is always doing little things to please her, but she hardly even notices.
▷ put somebody in a good mood /ˌpʊt somebody ɪn ə ˌgʊd ˈmuːd/ [verb phrase]
to do something that makes someone happy for a short time :
▪ If you think buying me flowers will put me in a good mood, you’re wrong.
▪ Shopping for new shoes usually puts her in a good mood.
▷ raise/lift somebody’s spirits /ˌreɪz, ˌlɪft somebodyˈs ˈspɪrə̇ts/ [verb phrase]
if something raises or lifts someone’s spirits, it makes them feel happier and more hopeful after they have been unhappy and not very hopeful :
▪ The chance to get out of the house for a few hours had clearly raised her spirits.
▪ He had been tired when he arrived, but the sight of the little children playing really lifted his spirits.
▷ heartening also cheering British /ˈhɑːʳtnɪŋ, ˈtʃɪ ə rɪŋ/ [adjective]
making you feel happier, more hopeful, and more confident :
▪ Kevin’s school work is greatly improved, which is heartening.
▪ It was about 8 o'clock when we heard the cheering news that Damien was out of danger.
6. to feel happy again after feeling sad
▷ cheer up /ˌtʃɪər ˈʌp/ [intransitive phrasal verb]
▪ Cheer up, Mandy - the insurance will cover most of the damage.
▪ You’d better get dressed and cheer up. The guests are coming any minute.
▷ brighten up /ˌbraɪtn ˈʌp/ [intransitive phrasal verb]
to start to look happy again :
▪ Mrs Verity brightened up at the news.
▪ ‘Oh, I know the answer!’ she said, brightening up.
▷ perk up /ˌpɜːʳk ˈʌp/ [intransitive phrasal verb]
to start to feel a little more happy :
▪ She wasn’t feeling too good yesterday but she perked up in the evening.
▪ Jessica always perks up when Richard comes over.
▷ be heartened/be cheered /biː ˈhɑːʳtnd, biː ˈtʃɪəʳd/ [verb phrase]
to feel happier and more hopeful, especially because you have received some good news, or have seen or thought something encouraging :
be heartened/be cheered by
▪ We are all heartened by the news that several families had already reached safety.
be heartened/be cheered to see/hear/know/learn etc
▪ He was cheered to learn that his two attackers had been arrested.
▷ take heart /ˌteɪk ˈhɑːʳt/ [verb phrase]
to feel a little happier and more hopeful because something has happened to make a bad situation better :
▪ Yes, the situation’s pretty bad, but take heart - we’ll find a way out of it.
take heart from/in
▪ Company executives are taking heart from the success of recent sales.
7. a happy feeling
▷ happiness /ˈhæpinɪs, ˈhæpinəs/ [uncountable noun]
▪ Happiness is more important than money.
▪ Pauline was willing to do anything for her children’s happiness.
find happiness
become happy
▪ I doubt she’ll find happiness with Gary.
▷ pleasure /ˈpleʒəʳ/ [uncountable noun]
the feeling you have when you are doing something you enjoy or when something very nice had happened to you :
▪ Most craftsmen get a lot of pleasure out of making things.
for pleasure
▪ Are you taking the trip for business or pleasure?
give/bring pleasure
▪ His music has brought pleasure to people all over the world.
take pleasure in (doing) something
▪ Cooper took obvious pleasure in announcing the merger.
▷ joy /dʒɔɪ/ [uncountable noun] especially written
a feeling of great happiness, often because something good has happened :
▪ It’s hard to describe the joy we felt, seeing each other again after so many years.
▪ The time we spent together in the Bahamas was pure joy.
bring joy to somebody
▪ The toys will bring great joy to countless children.
with joy
▪ People at the wedding laughed and danced with joy.
jump/shout/yell etc for joy
▪ I was so excited about getting the job, I nearly jumped for joy.
tears/shouts/cries etc of joy
▪ The sisters hugged and cried tears of joy.
▷ delight /dɪˈlaɪt/ [uncountable noun]
great happiness and excitement, especially about something good that has happened :
▪ Imagine our delight when we saw your article in the New Yorker.
delight at/in
▪ Paul’s delight at being asked to play the piano for us was clear.
to somebody’s delight
▪ To the audience’s delight, she agreed to do another number.
take delight in (doing) something
▪ Horton takes great delight in learning.
with delight
▪ Robin laughed with delight as the birthday cake was carried in.
▷ contentment /kənˈtentmənt/ [uncountable noun]
a quietly happy and satisfied feeling :
▪ Joey sighed with contentment, snuggling down in his warm bed.
▷ bliss /blɪs/ [uncountable noun]
a feeling of very deep happiness and extreme pleasure :
▪ A feeling of bliss came over him as he fell asleep.
sheer/pure bliss
▪ Lying in the warm sun, listening to the sea was sheer bliss.
wedded/marital bliss
▪ After what appeared to be nine years of wedded bliss, the couple has separated.
▷ euphoria /juːˈfɔːriəǁjʊ-/ [uncountable noun]
an extremely strong feeling of happiness and excitement that continues for a short time :
▪ The whole country experienced a period of euphoria after winning the war.
▪ The euphoria that new parents feel quickly changes to exhaustion.
▷ elation /ɪˈleɪʃ ə n/ [uncountable noun] written
a strong feeling of happiness, excitement, and pride :
▪ As he spoke you could hear the elation in his voice.
▪ The troops sense of elation at the victory was not to last.
8. a happy time/situation/occasion
▷ happy /ˈhæpi/ [adjective]
▪ He had a very happy childhood.
▪ Everyone thought their marriage was happy.
▪ My years at college were the happiest time of my life.
▷ blissful /ˈblɪsf ə l/ [adjective]
extremely happy and not worried by anything :
▪ They were a young couple in the first blissful days of their marriage
▪ She wandered deep into the forest, blissful in her freedom.
blissful ignorance
when you are happy because you do not know about something bad
▪ While her husband had affairs with other women, she lived in blissful ignorance.
blissfully [adverb]
▪ For years they were blissfully happy.
▷ idyllic /ɪˈdɪlɪkǁaɪ-/ [adjective]
a situation or period of time that is idyllic is one in which you are extremely happy and that you think could not be better :
▪ It was an idyllic life for both of them, and they hated to leave the island.
▪ Lou recalled his idyllic camping trips to Maine as a child.
9. a film, story, piece of music that makes you happy
▷ happy /ˈhæpi/ [adjective only before noun]
▪ I could hear the happy sound of the street musicians.
▪ Well that’s not a very happy story, is it?
happy ending
the end of a story or film in which everyone is happy
▪ Most children’s stories have happy endings.
▷ feel-good /ˈfiːl gʊd/ [adjective only before noun]
a feel-good film, book, television programme etc makes you feel happy and cheerful because good things happen in it :
▪ His latest film is a feel-good movie with a message.
▪ There are still a few feel-good shows on TV, but most series have a harder edge.
▷ heartwarming /ˈhɑːʳtˌwɔːʳmɪŋ/ [adjective]
a heartwarming story or event makes you feel happy, because the people in it do well in a difficult situation, and behave in a way that shows that people are good :
▪ The movie tells a heartwarming story about a boy who saves his sister’s life.
▪ The response to our plea for more food and blankets has been heartwarming.