If you are happyabout a situation or arrangement, you are satisfied with it, for example because you think that something is being done in the right way.
If you are not happy about a repair, go back and complain. [+ about/with]
He's happy that I deal with it myself.
4. adjective [verb-link ADJECTIVE, usually ADJECTIVE to-infinitive]
If you say you are happyto do something, you mean that you are very willing to do it.
I'll be happy to answer any questions if there are any.
That's a risk I'm happy to take.
Synonyms: willing, ready, glad, contented More Synonyms of happy
happilyadverb [ADVERB with verb]
If I've caused any offence over something I have written, I will happily apologise.
Synonyms: aptly, appropriately, successfully, gracefully More Synonyms of happy
Synonyms: joyfully, cheerfully, gleefully, blithely More Synonyms of happy
Synonyms: willingly, freely, gladly, enthusiastically More Synonyms of happy
5. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
Happy is used in greetings and other conventional expressions to say that you hope someone will enjoy a special occasion.
Happy Birthday!
Happy Easter!
6. many happy returns
7. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
A happy coincidence is one that results in something pleasant or helpful happening.
By happy coincidence, Robert met Richard and Julia and discovered they were experiencingsimilar problems.
More Synonyms of happy
happy in British English
(ˈhæpɪ)
adjectiveWord forms: -pier or -piest
1.
feeling, showing, or expressing joy; pleased
2.
willing
I'd be happy to show you around
3.
causing joy or gladness
4.
fortunate; lucky
the happy position of not having to work
5.
aptly expressed; appropriate
a happy turn of phrase
6. (postpositive) informal
slightly intoxicated
exclamation
7.
(in combination)
happy birthday
happy Christmas
See also trigger-happy
Derived forms
happily (ˈhappily)
adverb
happiness (ˈhappiness)
noun
Word origin
C14: see hap1, -y1
-happy in British English
combining form in adjective
denoting excessive enthusiasm for or devotion to
gun-happy
happy in American English
(ˈhæpi)
adjectiveWord forms: ˈhappier or ˈhappiest
1.
favored by circumstances; lucky; fortunate
2.
having, showing, or causing a feeling of great pleasure, contentment, joy, etc.; joyous; glad; pleased
3.
exactly appropriate to the occasion; suitable and clever; apt; felicitous
a happy suggestion
4.
intoxicated, or irresponsibly quick to act, as if intoxicated
sometimes used in hyphenated compounds see also slap-happy, trigger-happy
SYNONYMY NOTE: happy generally suggests a feeling of great pleasure, contentment, etc. [a happy marriage]; glad1 implies more strongly an exultant feeling of joy [your letter made her so glad], but both glad1, happy are commonly used in merely polite formulas expressing gratification [I'm glad, or happy, to have met you]; cheerful implies a steady display of bright spirits, optimism, etc. [he's always cheerful in the morning]; joyful, joyous both imply great elation and rejoicing, the former generally because of a particularevent, and the latter as a matter of usual temperament [the joyful throngs, a joyous family]
OPPOSITE: sad
Derived forms
happily (ˈhappily)
adverb
happiness (ˈhappiness)
noun
Word origin
ME happi < hap: see hap1
More idioms containing
happy
happy as a pig in muck
happy as Larry
happy as a lark
happy as a clam
not a happy bunny
Examples of 'happy' in a sentence
happy
This could be a wonderful new beginning for a happier life.
The Sun (2016)
Research supports the theory that crying makes us feel happier and healthier.
The Sun (2016)
Surveys of wellbeing also suggest that women typically are happier in their working lives than men.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
There are less happy endings for others who pass through the camp.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He says he is happier than he was when we met previously.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Neither of them are in a happy place right now.
The Sun (2016)
It must be a happy coincidence.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
But life hasn't always been this happy and carefree.
The Sun (2016)
There isn't a trade-off between being good at something and being happy.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Tomorrow night we should raise a glass and wish ourselves a happy and prosperous New Year.
The Sun (2016)
We already have most of the ingredients of a happy life.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Their happy smiling little faces fill both ends of the pipe.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Would you expect other people to feel happy about your unhappiness?
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
It always makes me happy to hear that.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Most arrivals will work for employers happy to use them for low wages.
The Sun (2007)
We are still happy and very satisfied with him.
The Sun (2012)
Two lonely souls brought together by happy coincidence?
The Sun (2012)
We are happy to say she has not.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
It is a happy place at the minute.
The Sun (2014)
They are more interested in being happy and doing something they value and love.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
We are so thankful both of us pulled through and had a happy ending.
The Sun (2011)
Instead focus your eyes on something else and just think about a happy memory.
The Sun (2010)
You find a way to keep the family happy.
The Sun (2014)
They are jealous of my new family and my happy life.
The Sun (2010)
Happy and nervous faces have passed through and thousands of pounds have been spent.
The Sun (2011)
He made me feel happy and alive.
The Sun (2009)
It has gained enthusiastic reviews from the critics and happy plaudits from satisfied diners.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Council workers deliver vital services and they are all the better when those staff are happy in their work.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
But they were always happiest together.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
And this is no happy coincidence.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Once his childhood was over, he was quite happy to say goodbye to them.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Happy birthday and many more.
The Sun (2007)
Now I shall really be very happy to walk into the same room with you.
Jane Austen Emma (1815)
So a happy New Year all round!
The Sun (2009)
Quotations
Happy the man, and happy he alone He who can call today his own; He who, secure within, can say, Tomorrow, do thy worst, for I have lived todayJohn DrydenImitation of Horace
The happy man is not he who seems thus to others, but who seems thus to himselfPublilius SyrusMoral Sayings
Call no man happy till he dies, he is at best but fortunateSolon
Happy men are grave. They carry their happiness cautiously, as they would a glass filled to the brim which the slightest movement could cause to spill over, or breakJules Barbey D'AurevillyLes Diaboliques
No one can be perfectly free till all are free; no one can be perfectly moral till all are moral; no one can be perfectly happy till all are happyHerbert SpencerSocial Statics
We are never happy: we can only remember that we were so onceAlexander Smith
Word lists with
happy
dwarf
In other languages
happy
British English: happy /ˈhæpɪ/ ADJECTIVE
Someone who is happy has feelings of joy or contentment.
She was a confident, happy child.
American English: happy
Arabic: سَعِيد
Brazilian Portuguese: feliz
Chinese: 快乐的
Croatian: sretan
Czech: šťastný spokojený
Danish: glad
Dutch: gelukkig
European Spanish: feliz
Finnish: onnellinen
French: heureux
German: glücklich
Greek: ευτυχισμένος
Italian: felice
Japanese: 幸福な
Korean: 행복한
Norwegian: glad
Polish: szczęśliwy
European Portuguese: feliz
Romanian: fericit
Russian: счастливый
Latin American Spanish: feliz
Swedish: lycklig
Thai: เป็นสุข
Turkish: mutlu
Ukrainian: щасливий
Vietnamese: hạnh phúc
All related terms of 'happy'
boob happy
suffering from the mental strain caused by the difficulties of prison life
demob-happy
feeling elated in anticipation of demobilization from the armed forces
happy event
the birth of a child
happy hour
In a pub, happy hour is a period when drinks are sold more cheaply than usual to encourage people to come to the pub.
Happy Jack
an insect-eating Australian bird , Pomatostomus temporalis of the family Timaliidae
happy news
News is information about a recently changed situation or a recent event.
happy talk
a style of news presentation characterized by cheerful commentary and informal conversation among anchors during newscasts
slap-happy
If you describe someone as slap-happy , you believe they are irresponsible and careless.
happy camper
a happy , satisfied person (esp in the phrase not a happy camper )
happy clapper
of or denoting a form of evangelical Christianity in which members of the congregation sing and clap enthusiastically during acts of worship
happy-clappy
of or denoting a form of evangelical Christianity in which members of the congregation sing and clap enthusiastically during acts of worship
happy couple
two people in a happy romantic relationship , esp two people who have just married
happy family
→ another name for grey-crowned babbler
happy medium
If you strike or find a happy medium between two extreme and opposite courses of action, you find a sensible way of behaving that is somewhere between the two extremes.
happy outcome
The outcome of an activity, process, or situation is the situation that exists at the end of it.
happy release
liberation , esp by death, from an unpleasant condition
trigger-happy
If you describe someone as trigger-happy , you disapprove of them because they are too ready and willing to use violence and weapons, especially guns .
happy-clappies
of or denoting a form of evangelical Christianity in which members of the congregation sing and clap enthusiastically during acts of worship
happy families
a card game in which the object is to collect the cards (which display images of people) until you have a complete family
happy marriage
A marriage is the relationship between two people who are married .
happy slapping
the practice of attacking, esp slapping , an unsuspecting passer-by and filming it with a mobile camera phone , footage of which is then circulated for the amusement of others
happy as Larry
very happy
happy-go-lucky
Someone who is happy-go-lucky enjoys life and does not worry about the future .
happy relationship
A relationship is a close connection between two people, especially one involving romantic or sexual feelings .
happy retirement
Retirement is the time when a worker retires.
happy as a clam
very happy
happy as a lark
very happy
many happy returns
When it is someone's birthday, people sometimes say ' Many happy returns ' to them as a way of greeting them.
happy as a sandboy
very happy ; high-spirited
happy hunting ground
(in Native American legend ) the paradise to which a person passes after death
happy little vegemite
a person who is in good humour
not a happy bunny
annoyed or unhappy about something. You use this expression to be humorous or ironic .
to play happy families
to spend time with your family or partner and to outwardly give the impression of being happy (although this may not be the case)
happy as a pig in muck
very happy
as happy etc as can/could be
If someone or something is, for example , as happy as can be or as quiet as could be , they are extremely happy or extremely quiet.
hunting ground
If you say that a place is a good hunting ground for something, you mean that people who have a particular interest are likely to find something that they want there.
Chinese translation of 'happy'
happy
(ˈhæpɪ)
adj
(= contented)
[person, mood]高兴(興)的 (gāoxìng de)
[face]愉快的 (yúkuài de)
⇒ I was happy to hear that you passed your exams.非常高兴听到你考试通过了。 (Fēicháng gāoxìng tīngdào nǐ kǎoshì tōngguò le.)
I'm perfectly content with the way the campaign has gone.
contented
thrilled
I was so thrilled to get a good report from him.
glad
I'm glad I decided to go after all.
blessed
The birth of a healthy baby is a truly blessed event.
blest
sunny
The staff wear big sunny smiles.
cheerful
They are both very cheerful in spite of their circumstances.
jolly
She was a jolly, kindhearted woman.
merry
He was much loved for his merry nature.
ecstatic
He was ecstatic about the birth of his first child.
gratified
jubilant
I was jubilant after making an impressive comeback.
joyous
a joyous celebration of life
joyful
We're a very joyful people.
elated
I was elated by my success.
over the moon (informal)
We were both over the moon to hear the news.
overjoyed
Shelley was overjoyed to see me.
blissful
a blissful smile
rapt
He played to a rapt audience.
blithe
on cloud nine (informal)
cock-a-hoop (old-fashioned)
walking on air (informal)
As soon as I got the news I was walking on air.
floating on air
stoked (informal)
Opposites
sad
2 (adjective)
Definition
causing joy or gladness
We have a very happy marriage.
Synonyms
contented
blessed
blest
joyful
blissful
blithe
His spirit was anything but blithe below the surface.
Opposites
low
,
sad
,
depressed
,
sorry
,
unhappy
,
miserable
,
gloomy
,
discontented
,
melancholy
,
sombre
,
forlorn
,
displeased
,
mournful
,
despondent
,
sorrowful
,
joyless
,
down in the dumps (informal)
3 (adjective)
Definition
willing
I'm happy to answer any questions.
Synonyms
willing
There are some questions which they will not be willing to answer.
ready
She was always ready to give interviews.
glad
I'll be glad to show you round.
contented
Whenever I return to this place I feel happy and contented.
inclined
I am inclined to agree with Alan.
disposed
I might be disposed to like him in other circumstances.
Opposites
unwilling
,
loath
4 (adjective)
Definition
fortunate or lucky
a happy coincidence
Synonyms
fortunate
He has had a very fortunate life.
lucky
They are now desperate for a lucky break.
timely
These outbreaks are a timely reminder that the disease persists.
appropriate
It is appropriate that Irish names dominate the list.
convenient
She will try to arrange a mutually convenient time for an interview.
favourable
favourable weather conditions
auspicious
His career had an auspicious start.
propitious
the most propitious moment to launch the campaign
apt
The words of this report are as apt today as they were in 1929.
befitting
advantageous
Free exchange of goods was advantageous to all.
well-timed
One well-timed word from you may be all it takes to change his mind.
opportune (formal)
I have arrived at a very opportune moment.
felicitous
Her speech was not at all felicitous.
seasonable
Opposites
unhappy
,
unfortunate
,
unlucky
,
inapt
Quotations
Happy the man, and happy he alone He who can call today his own; He who, secure within, can say, Tomorrow, do thy worst, for I have lived today [John Dryden – Imitation of Horace]The happy man is not he who seems thus to others, but who seems thus to himself [Publilius Syrus – Moral Sayings]Call no man happy till he dies, he is at best but fortunate [Solon]Happy men are grave. They carry their happiness cautiously, as they would a glass filled to the brim which the slightest movement could cause to spill over, or break [Jules Barbey D'Aurevilly – Les Diaboliques]No one can be perfectly free till all are free; no one can be perfectly moral till all are moral; no one can be perfectly happy till all are happy [Herbert Spencer – Social Statics]We are never happy: we can only remember that we were so once [Alexander Smith]
Additional synonyms
in the sense of advantageous
Definition
likely to bring benefits
Free exchange of goods was advantageous to all.
Synonyms
beneficial,
useful,
valuable,
helpful,
profitable,
of service,
convenient,
worthwhile,
expedient
in the sense of appropriate
Definition
right or suitable
It is appropriate that Irish names dominate the list.
Synonyms
suitable,
right,
fitting,
fit,
suited,
correct,
belonging,
relevant,
proper,
to the point,
in keeping,
apt,
applicable,
pertinent,
befitting,
well-suited,
well-timed,
apposite,
apropos,
opportune (formal),
becoming,
seemly,
felicitous,
germane,
to the purpose,
appurtenant,
congruous,
meet (archaic)
in the sense of apt
Definition
suitable or appropriate
The words of this report are as apt today as they were in 1929.