glee

noun

ˈglē 

1

: exultant high-spirited joy : merriment

dancing with glee

2

: a part-song for usually male voices

Synonyms

• cheer
• cheerfulness
• cheeriness
• festivity
• gaiety
• gayety
• gayness
• gleefulness
• hilarity
• jocundity
• joviality
• merriment
• merriness
• mirth
• mirthfulness

Examples of glee in a Sentence

They were dancing with glee.

He could hardly contain his glee over his victory.

Recent Examples on the Web

There might have been an unconscious malice — a glee — to my pounce. —Lili Anolik, Vulture, 12 Nov. 2024

Alyssa said, of the duel against Tatianna, before reacting with glee over the memory of RuPaul deciding to keep both queens — and asking them both to eliminate one of the remaining contestants. —Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 25 Oct. 2024

For those who can find glee in this, the possibilities are endless. —Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2024

And when purloined Democratic National Committee emails were leaked just ahead of the Democratic National Convention, Putin did not hide his glee. —Nathan Hodge, CNN, 5 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English glēo entertainment, music; akin to Old Norse glȳ joy, and perhaps to Greek chleuē joke

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing glee

• glee club

Kids Definition

glee

noun

ˈglē 

1

: high-spirited joy

2

: an unaccompanied song for three or more voices

gleeful

-fəl

adjective

gleefully

-fə-lē

adverb

gleefulness noun