happy
adjective
hap·py ˈha-pē 
happier; happiest
1
: favored by luck or fortune : fortunate
a happy coincidence
2
: notably fitting, effective, or well adapted : felicitous
a happy choice
3
a
: enjoying or characterized by well-being and contentment
is the happiest person I know
a happy childhood
b
: expressing, reflecting, or suggestive of happiness
a happy ending
c
: glad, pleased
I'm happy to meet you
d
: having or marked by an atmosphere of good fellowship : friendly
a happy office
4
a
: characterized by a dazed irresponsible state
a punch-happy boxer
b
: impulsively or obsessively quick to use or do something
trigger-happy
c
: enthusiastic about something to the point of obsession : obsessed
education-conscious and statistic-happy
Helen Rowen
Helen Rowen
Synonyms
- fluky
- flukey
- fortuitous
- fortunate
- heaven-sent
- lucky
- providential
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
She was a very happy child. You don't look happy. What's the problem? We're all one big, happy family here. I'd do anything to make her happy. I could hear the children's happy laughter in the other room. She had a very happy childhood. They've had a very happy marriage. I was glad the movie had a happy ending. We are so happy that you were able to come to the party. They are not at all happy about the rise in taxes. See More
Recent Examples on the Web The actor said Hooper was happy after only five or six takes, but Redmayne was determined to push himself to the brink in his performances. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 16 Sep. 2022 Or feeling jealous of those who are in happy relationships? Annie Lane, cleveland, 16 Sep. 2022 Metil, who is 202-74 in 10 seasons, passed Cathy Cain, who compiled a 201-143 record from 1989 to 1998, and the players were happy to help him gain that achievement. Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 16 Sep. 2022 When my son is home from school being a mini tornado and my stress levels are high, my managers are happy to move deadlines or give me a day or two off. Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 16 Sep. 2022 The adoption consultants at Friends for Life Animal Rescue would be happy to elaborate on what this diagnosis means for P. Hatcher and the family that adopts him. The Republic, The Arizona Republic, 16 Sep. 2022 Two of the lifelong habits of older people who are both happy and well are continuous learning and healthy exercise. Arthur C. Brooks, The Atlantic, 15 Sep. 2022 Investors also aren’t happy after Tuesday morning’s downer of an inflation report from the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. James Freeman, WSJ, 13 Sep. 2022 But after the play, coach Mario Cristobal was not happy. Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 6 Sep. 2022 See More
Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 16 Sep. 2022 Or feeling jealous of those who are in happy relationships? Annie Lane, cleveland, 16 Sep. 2022 Metil, who is 202-74 in 10 seasons, passed Cathy Cain, who compiled a 201-143 record from 1989 to 1998, and the players were happy to help him gain that achievement. Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 16 Sep. 2022 When my son is home from school being a mini tornado and my stress levels are high, my managers are happy to move deadlines or give me a day or two off. Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 16 Sep. 2022 The adoption consultants at Friends for Life Animal Rescue would be happy to elaborate on what this diagnosis means for P. Hatcher and the family that adopts him. The Republic, The Arizona Republic, 16 Sep. 2022 Two of the lifelong habits of older people who are both happy and well are continuous learning and healthy exercise. Arthur C. Brooks, The Atlantic, 15 Sep. 2022 Investors also aren’t happy after Tuesday morning’s downer of an inflation report from the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. James Freeman, WSJ, 13 Sep. 2022 But after the play, coach Mario Cristobal was not happy. Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 6 Sep. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from hap
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing happy
Kids Definition
happy
adjective
hap·py ˈha-pē
happier; happiest
1
: feeling or showing pleasure : glad
I'm happy you came.
2
: enjoying a condition or situation : content
They were happy together.
3
: joyful
She talked in a happy way.
4
: fortunate sense 1, lucky
Meeting him was a happy occurrence.
5
: being suitable for something
a happy choice
happy
adjective
1
as in fortunate
coming or happening by good luck especially unexpectedly a happy discovery, finding the letter that would prove her innocence Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- fortunate
- lucky
- convenient
- favorable
- fortuitous
- coincidental
- hopeful
- promising
- unexpected
- chance
- bright
- encouraging
- beneficial
- good
- providential
- timely
- heaven-sent
- flukey
- fluky
- opportune
- profitable
- benign
- serendipitous
- seasonable
- fair
- propitious
- unforeseen
- accidental
- auspicious
- golden
- heartening
- advantageous
- halcyon
- unlooked-for
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unhappy
- unfortunate
- unlucky
- expected
- hapless
- luckless
- anticipated
- inconvenient
- untimely
- foreseen
- intentional
- planned
- unseasonable
- inopportune
- deliberate
- ill-starred
- star-crossed
- ill-fated
- disastrous
- inauspicious
- catastrophic
- unpromising
- calamitous
2
as in pleased
experiencing pleasure, satisfaction, or delight made bread for the first time and was happy with the tasty result Synonyms & Similar Words
- pleased
- delighted
- satisfied
- glad
- thankful
- thrilled
- joyful
- joyous
- cheerful
- blissful
- gratified
- chuffed
- tickled
- ecstatic
- hopeful
- smiling
- merry
- cheery
- elated
- jolly
- optimistic
- gleeful
- upbeat
- laughing
- jovial
- lighthearted
- exhilarated
- jubilant
- gladsome
- rejoicing
- euphoric
- buoyant
- mirthful
- sunny
- enraptured
- beaming
- exuberant
- rapturous
- blithesome
- jocund
- exultant
- blithe
- intoxicated
- beatific
- rosy
- rhapsodic
- entranced
- gay
- sanguine
- rapt
- rhapsodical
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unhappy
- sad
- dissatisfied
- unsatisfied
- displeased
- joyless
- depressed
- aggrieved
- blue
- dejected
- anguished
- melancholy
- despondent
- sorry
- forlorn
- downcast
- disconsolate
- disheartened
- unpleased
- abject
- sorrowful
- brokenhearted
- mournful
- miserable
- doleful
- woeful
- plaintive
- downhearted
- gloomy
- dark
- heartbroken
- black
- gray
- grey
- glum
- dispirited
- dolorous
- wretched
- lachrymose
- desolate
- grieved
- woebegone
- heartsick
3
as in satisfied
feeling that one's needs or desires have been met has been much happier ever since she moved Synonyms & Similar Words
- satisfied
- pleased
- contented
- thrilled
- delighted
- gratified
- joyful
- content
- joyous
- overjoyed
- ecstatic
- blissful
- elated
- rejoicing
- jubilant
- glad
- tickled
- euphoric
- appeased
- enraptured
- rapturous
- pacified
- placated
- mollified
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unhappy
- dissatisfied
- displeased
- discontented
- unsatisfied
- displeased
- disgruntled
- disaffected
- depressed
- aggrieved
- discontent
- discouraged
- malcontent
- anguished
- dejected
- malcontented
- dispirited
- despondent
- disheartened
- abject
- downcast
- disconsolate
- brokenhearted
- downhearted
4
as in lucky
having good luck the happy person who is both appreciated and rewarded for all his hard work Synonyms & Similar Words
- lucky
- fortunate
- blessed
- privileged
- gifted
- favored
- promising
- blest
- fair
- golden
- hot
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unhappy
- unfortunate
- unlucky
- hapless
- luckless
- snakebitten
- disadvantaged
- cursed
- curst
- snakebit
- ill-starred
- star-crossed
- ill-fated
5
as in suitable
meeting the requirements of a purpose or situation the wine was a happy complement to such a fine meal Synonyms & Similar Words
- suitable
- good
- appropriate
- fitting
- fitted
- fit
- proper
- pretty
- needed
- meet
- right
- apt
- balanced
- in order
- applicable
- acceptable
- adequate
- able
- befitting
- deserved
- required
- becoming
- felicitous
- just
- satisfactory
- justified
- capable
- decent
- qualified
- competent
- correct
- cut out
- trained
- harmonious
- tolerable
- respectable
- decorous
- requisite
- seemly
- serviceable
- rightful
- kosher
- condign
- companionate
- congruous
- consonant
- pitch-perfect
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unhappy
- wrong
- inappropriate
- improper
- unsuitable
- unfit
- inapplicable
- incongruous
- incapable
- indecent
- unseemly
- unfitting
- incompetent
- unsatisfactory
- inadequate
- unbecoming
- unqualified
- unskilled
- inapt
- unacceptable
- inapposite
- untrained
- inept
- intolerable
- infelicitous
- unskillful
- unapt
- unbeseeming
- inexpert
- unmeet
- incorrect
- malapropos
- misbecoming
- incompatible
- indecorous
- uncongenial
- graceless
6
as in obsessed
having extreme or relentless concern poll-happy pundits just care about which political candidate is winning, and never about the issues Synonyms & Similar Words
- obsessed
- worried
- concerned
- anxious
- preoccupied
- hung up
- involved
- engaged
- occupied
- engrossed
- passionate
- queer
- distracted
- absorbed
- silly
- foolish
- impassioned
- full
- crazy
- prepossessed
- fervent
- nuts
- dotty
- ardent
- feverish
- fervid
- knee-deep
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- indifferent
- unconcerned
- disinterested
- cool
- uninterested
- casual
- apathetic
- unenthusiastic
- dispassionate
- nonchalant
- detached
- uninvolved
- uncurious
- incurious
- insouciant
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of happy are fortunate, lucky, and providential. While all these words mean "meeting with unforeseen success," happy combines the implications of lucky and fortunate with stress on being blessed.
a series of happy accidents
In some situations, the words fortunate and happy are roughly equivalent. However, fortunate suggests being rewarded beyond one's deserts.
fortunate in my investments
The meanings of lucky and happy largely overlap; however, lucky stresses the agency of chance in bringing about a favorable result.
won because of a lucky bounce
While in some cases nearly identical to happy, providential more definitely implies the help or intervention of a higher power.
a providential change in the weather