happy
Americanadjective
-
delightedpleasedor gladas over a particular thing.
I'm so happy to see you!
- Antonyms:
- sad
-
characterized by or indicative of pleasurecontentmentor joy.
a happy mood;
a happy frame of mind.
-
willing to be helpfulas with assistancea contributionor participation.
We’ll be happy to bring a couple of salads to the party.
-
favored by fortune; fortunate or lucky.
Our home country is a happyfruitful land.
- Synonyms:
- prosperous successful propitious favorable
-
(used as part of an expression of good wishes on a special occasion).
Happy Valentine’s Day to my husband.
Happy BirthdayGrandpa!
-
apt or felicitousas actionsutterancesor ideas.
Their collaboration was a happy accident.
- Synonyms:
- pertinent opportune fitting appropriate
-
obsessed by or quick to use the item indicated (usually used in combination).
He was a trigger-happy gangster.
Everybody is gadget-happy these days.
idioms
adjective
-
feelingshowingor expressing joy; pleased
-
willing
I'd be happy to show you around
-
causing joy or gladness
-
fortunate; lucky
the happy position of not having to work
-
aptly expressed; appropriate
a happy turn of phrase
-
informal (postpositive) slightly intoxicated
interjection
combining form
Usage
What is a basic definition of happy? Happy describes a feeling of joydelightor glee. It also describes something that is related to or shows joy. Happy can describe someone being willing to do something or be helpful. Happy is used in many expressions that wish good tidings to another person. Happy has a few other senses as an adjective. Happy describes feeling really goodas when a person in a good mood that makes them smile. Happiness refers to this positive emotion. Happily means in a happy way. Real-life examples: Everybody has something that makes them happy. Cute animalspresentscomplimentsand loved ones make most people feel happy. Used in a sentence: The surprise birthday party really made Abdul happy. Happy also describes something that shows or is related to feelings of happiness and joy. Used in a sentence: The friendly clown had a happy smile. Happy describes someone being willing to do somethingespecially to help or assist someone else. They don’t think whatever they will do is a problem or a chore. Real-life examples: Many experts are happy to show off their knowledge. Salespeople are often happy to explain things to customers if it means selling more items. Used in a sentence: I’d be happy to give you a ride to the mall since I was going there anyway. The word happy is used in many greetings and expressions that wish a person well or wish that they have a good future. Used in a sentence: Happy birthday!
Other Word Forms
- happily adverb
- happiness noun
- overhappy adjective
- quasi-happy adjective
Etymology
Origin of happy
First recorded in 1350–1400; from Middle English; see origin at hap 1 ( def. )-y 1 ( def. )
Explanation
Happy is a feeling of joypleasureor good fortune — exactly how you'd feel if you learned that you won the lottery or got accepted into your number one choice of colleges. Happy hails from the Middle English word hapmeaning "good luck." Many of the early European words for happy actually referred to good luckrather than a feeling of joy. On its ownhappy means an enjoyable or satisfied state of being. When hyphenatedit can refer to an overwhelming inclination to do something. Someone who is trigger-happyfor examplehas an overwhelming urge to shoot thingswhile a clothes-happy person is obsessed with taking trips to the mall.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Wall Streetfor its partseems happy with the deal.
From Barron's • Apr. 202026
Your happy task will be to maintain flexibility across all of your taxabletraditionaland Roth accounts to minimize your taxes in retirement.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 202026
In an interviewColeman said he got a great education in Maine’s public schoolsincluding help overcoming his dyslexiaand is happy to contribute more.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 192026
“We’re just happy that everyone was safe,” Perrin told KTLA.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 192026
And another year passed and he grew blind and his thinking changed so that he was not always aware but still he was happy.
From "Woodsong" by Gary Paulsen
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridgedbased on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary© Random HouseInc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 200220011995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
