Definitions

jolly

[jol-ee] / ˈdʒɒl i /

ADJECTIVE

laughing, joyful

Synonyms

STRONGEST

carefree cheerful chipper convivial enjoyable festive jovial joyous lighthearted merry playful pleasant

STRONG

entertaining gay joshing larking

WEAK

blithe blithesome bouncy chirpy daffy delightful frolicsome gladsome gleeful happy jocund jokey jubilant lots of laughs mirthful sportive sprightly

Antonyms

STRONGEST

depressed disagreeable gloomy grave sad serious troubled unhappy unpleasant upset worried

STRONG

dull unamusing

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.

And if she'd jolly well kept herself to herself and been nominated as a leading actress they would have nominated me in supporting.

From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026

Puckish humor, high-culture references and interior artwork by Ashley Mackenzie and Virginia Allyn give excitement and heft to this jolly read for children ages 10 and older.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 12, 2025

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell may not be anyone’s idea of jolly, but he has still left something of a gift for Wall Street as Christmas approaches.

From Barron's • Dec. 11, 2025

When embarking on technical descriptions, he often adds a touch of whimsy to jolly the reader along.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 28, 2025

Sturdy in frame and jolly, he wore tan trousers with braces and a thick red shirt that had suffered roughly at the washboard.

From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead

jolly

Example Sentences

Related Words