happy
adjective /ˈhæpi/
/ˈhæpi/
(comparative happier, superlative happiest)
Word Family
Idioms - happy adjective (≠ unhappy)
- happily adverb (≠ unhappily)
- happiness noun (≠ unhappiness)
- feeling or showing pleasure; pleased
- a happy family
- a happy smile/face
- You don't look very happy today.
- He always seemed happy enough.
- I've never felt so happy.
- Money won't make you happy.
- happy to do something We are happy to announce the engagement of our daughter.
- happy for somebody I'm very happy for you.
- happy (that)… I’m happy (that) you could come.
Synonyms gladglad- happy
- pleased
- delighted
- proud
- relieved
- thrilled
- glad [not usually before noun] happy about something or grateful for it:
- He was glad he’d come.
- She was glad when the meeting was over.
- happy pleased about something nice that you have to do or something that has happened to somebody:
- We are happy to announce the engagement of our daughter.
- pleased [not before noun] happy about something that has happened or something that you have to do:
- She was very pleased with her exam results.
- You’re coming? I’m so pleased.
- delighted very pleased about something; very happy to do something; showing your delight:
- I’m delighted at your news.
- proud pleased and satisfied about something that you own or have done, or are connected with:
- proud parents
- He was proud of himself for not giving up.
- relieved feeling happy because something unpleasant has stopped or has not happened; showing this:
- You’ll be relieved to know your jobs are safe.
- thrilled [not before noun] (rather informal) extremely pleased and excited about something:
- I was thrilled to be invited.
- glad/happy/pleased/delighted/relieved/thrilled about something
- pleased/delighted/relieved/thrilled at something
- glad/happy/pleased/delighted/thrilled for somebody
- glad/happy/pleased/delighted/proud/relieved/thrilled that…/to see/hear/find/know…
- very glad/happy/pleased/proud/relieved
- absolutely delighted/thrilled
Extra ExamplesTopics Feelingsa1- I looked around at all the happy faces.
- For the first time in her life, she felt truly happy.
- I can die happy knowing that I have achieved this.
- I'm just happy to be back home.
- Outwardly the couple appeared happy.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- appear
- be
- feel
- …
- extremely
- fairly
- very
- …
- about
- for
- with
- …
- giving or causing pleasure
- She had a very happy life.
- a happy marriage/childhood/occasion
- I have many happy memories from that time.
- The story has a happy ending.
- Those were the happiest days of my life.
- It had been a gloriously happy time.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- seem
- extremely
- fairly
- very
- …
- if you wish somebody a Happy Birthday, Happy New Year, etc. you mean that you hope they have a pleasant celebration
- satisfied that something is good or right; not anxious
- I don't know what you've done, but the boss isn't happy.
- I said I'd go just to keep him happy.
- happy with somebody/something Are you happy with that arrangement?
- I'm not happy with his work this term.
- She was happy enough with her performance.
- happy about somebody/something If there's anything you're not happy about, come and ask.
- happy about somebody/something doing something I'm not too happy about her living alone.
Synonyms happyhappy- satisfied
- content
- contented
- joyful
- blissful
- happy feeling, showing or giving pleasure; satisfied with something or not worried about it:
- a happy marriage/memory/childhood
- I said I’d go, just to keep him happy.
- satisfied pleased because you have achieved something or because something has happened as you wanted it to; showing this:
- She’s never satisfied with what she’s got.
- a satisfied smile
- content [not before noun] happy and satisfied with what you have:
- I’m perfectly content just to lie in the sun.
- contented happy and comfortable with what you have; showing this:
- a contented baby
- a long contented sigh
- joyful (rather formal) very happy; making people very happy
- blissful making people very happy; showing this happiness:
- three blissful weeks away
- happy/satisfied/content/contented with something
- a happy/satisfied/contented/blissful smile
- a happy/joyful occasion/celebration
- to feel happy/satisfied/content/contented/joyful
- very/perfectly/quite happy/satisfied/content/contented
Extra Examples- Dad seemed perfectly happy with my explanation.
- I was quite happy with the way things went.
- He went home from time to time, to keep his mother happy.
- Her boss was not entirely happy about the situation.
- I'm not too happy about her attitude.
- happy to do something (formal) willing or pleased to do something
- I'm perfectly happy to leave it till tomorrow.
- People seemed quite happy to help.
- He will be more than happy to come with us.
- We'd be only too happy to accept your invitation.
- lucky; successful synonym fortunate
- By a happy coincidence, we arrived at exactly the same time.
- He is in the happy position of never having to worry about money.
Extra ExamplesTopics Successc1- By a happy chance, I got a hotel room just five minutes from the university.
- I picked the restaurant pretty much at random, but it proved a happy choice all round.
- (formal) (of words, ideas or behaviour) suitable and appropriate for a particular situation
- That wasn't the happiest choice of words.
feeling/giving pleasure
at celebration
satisfied
willing
lucky
suitable
Word OriginMiddle English (in the sense ‘lucky’): from the noun hap ‘good fortune’ + -y.
Idioms
(not) a happy camper
(British English also (not) a happy bunny)
- (informal) (not) pleased about a situation
- She wasn't a happy bunny at all.
a happy event
- the birth of a baby
the happy/golden mean
- (approving) a course of action that is not extreme
a/the happy medium
- something that is in the middle between two choices or two ways of doing something
- She tried to strike a happy medium between making the questions too hard and making them too easy.
many happy returns (of the day)
- used to wish somebody a happy and pleasant birthday