glad
1 of 3adjective
ˈglad 
gladder; gladdest
1
a
: experiencing pleasure, joy, or delight : made happy
b
: very willing
glad to do it
c
: made pleased, satisfied, or grateful —often used with of
was glad of their help
2
a
: marked by, expressive of, or caused by happiness and joy
a glad shout
b
: causing happiness and joy : pleasant
glad tidings
3
: full of brightness and cheerfulness
a glad spring morning
4
archaic : having a cheerful or happy disposition by nature
gladly adverb
gladness noun
glad
2 of 3verb
gladded; gladding
archaic
: gladden
glad
3 of 3noun
: gladiolus sense 1
Synonyms
Adjective
- blissful
- chuffed [British]
- delighted
- gratified
- happy
- joyful
- joyous
- pleased
- satisfied
- thankful
- tickled
Verb
- agree (with)
- content
- delight
- feast
- gas [slang]
- gladden
- gratify
- please
- pleasure
- rejoice
- satisfy
- suit
- warm
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Adjective We're glad you could come. I'll be glad to answer any questions you may have. The mail brought glad news from our friends in England. We've been through some sad times and some glad times. Verb it hath gladded my heart to see thy face again
Recent Examples on the Web
Max Colchester, WSJ, 12 Sep. 2022 Most independent producer/financiers would be glad to have one hot title up for sale in Toronto. Gregg Goldstein, Variety, 9 Sep. 2022 Barney would likely be glad to see Grammy nominee Lovato — who also did a handful of episodes in the early 2000s with fellow Disney Channel star Gomez — go on to receive GLAAD's Vanguard Award. Kate Hogan, Peoplemag, 31 Aug. 2022 Sheets was glad to have the opportunity to make an impact in front of many familiar faces. Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 26 Aug. 2022 Mayfield’s good friend Wyatt Teller, the Browns Pro Bowl right guard, was also glad Mayfield got the nod. Mary Kay Cabot, cleveland, 23 Aug. 2022 Instagram followers were more than glad to see the 67-year-old actor showcasing his musical talents. Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2022 And for sheer glad-to-be-alive happiness, there was Mr. Sempé’s man in the dunes, alone at the beachfront at the end of a perfect September day, tipping his hat at the incoming Atlantic. Robert D. Mcfadden, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Aug. 2022 Happy are people who grieve, because they will be made glad. Kelsey Hurwitz, Woman's Day, 1 Aug. 2022 oregonlive, 14 Mar. 2020 Wow, what a year for flowers: peonies, dahlias, glads, ligularias — and most others for that matter. Jeff Lowenfels, Alaska Dispatch News, 4 Aug. 2017 See More
Adjective
The new king, meanwhile, glad-handed crowds outside Buckingham Palace on Friday. Max Colchester, WSJ, 12 Sep. 2022 Most independent producer/financiers would be glad to have one hot title up for sale in Toronto. Gregg Goldstein, Variety, 9 Sep. 2022 Barney would likely be glad to see Grammy nominee Lovato — who also did a handful of episodes in the early 2000s with fellow Disney Channel star Gomez — go on to receive GLAAD's Vanguard Award. Kate Hogan, Peoplemag, 31 Aug. 2022 Sheets was glad to have the opportunity to make an impact in front of many familiar faces. Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 26 Aug. 2022 Mayfield’s good friend Wyatt Teller, the Browns Pro Bowl right guard, was also glad Mayfield got the nod. Mary Kay Cabot, cleveland, 23 Aug. 2022 Instagram followers were more than glad to see the 67-year-old actor showcasing his musical talents. Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2022 And for sheer glad-to-be-alive happiness, there was Mr. Sempé’s man in the dunes, alone at the beachfront at the end of a perfect September day, tipping his hat at the incoming Atlantic. Robert D. Mcfadden, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Aug. 2022 Happy are people who grieve, because they will be made glad. Kelsey Hurwitz, Woman's Day, 1 Aug. 2022 Noun
Flowering plants, including glads, aren’t treasured for their leaves. oregonlive, 14 Mar. 2020 Wow, what a year for flowers: peonies, dahlias, glads, ligularias — and most others for that matter. Jeff Lowenfels, Alaska Dispatch News, 4 Aug. 2017 See More Word History
Etymology
Adjective and Verb
Middle English, shining, glad, from Old English glæd; akin to Old High German glat shining, smooth, Latin glaber smooth, bald
First Known Use
Adjective
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4
Verb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above
Noun
1923, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing glad
Kids Definition
glad
adjective
ˈglad
gladder; gladdest
1
: being happy and joyful
She was glad to be home.
2
: bringing or causing joy
glad news
3
: very willing
I'd be glad to help.
gladly
adverb
1
as in blithely
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- blithely
- joyfully
- laughingly
- cheerfully
- lightheartedly
- joyously
- breezily
- happily
- giddily
- sunnily
- exuberantly
- amusedly
- smilingly
- friendly
- merrily
- cheerily
- amicably
- heartily
- jocularly
- blithesomely
- jovially
- hopefully
- friendlily
- gigglingly
- mirthfully
- good-naturedly
- gladsomely
- jocosely
- optimistically
- good-humoredly
- sanguinely
- gayly
- elatedly
- gaily
- blissfully
- rapturously
- brightly
- euphorically
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unhappily
- heavily
- miserably
- darkly
- dejectedly
- morosely
- sorrowfully
- abjectly
- despondently
- mournfully
- cheerlessly
- sternly
- disconsolately
- plaintively
- forlornly
- dolefully
- bleakly
- glumly
- sullenly
- wretchedly
- dispiritedly
- sulkily
- sourly
- dolorously
- dourly
- pessimistically
- dismally
- gloomily
- drearily
- mirthlessly
- blackly
2
as in voluntarily
Synonyms & Similar Words
- voluntarily
- optionally
- wishfully
- obligingly
- either
- instead
- desirably
- willingly
- alternatively
- readily
- alternately
- fain
- electively
- preferably
- first
- soon
- rather
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- reluctantly
- unwillingly
- involuntarily
- forcibly
- willy-nilly