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Definitions

joyless

[joi-lis] / ˈdʒɔɪ lɪs /
ADJECTIVE
unhappy
Synonyms
STRONGEST
bleak dejected depressing dismal downcast dreary miserable
WEAK
black blue cheerless depressant depressed dispirited dispiriting doleful down in the mouth dragged droopy gloomy have the blahs heavy low melancholic melancholy mopey mournful sad saddening somber
Antonyms
STRONGEST
bright cheerful elated encouraging glad happy light pleasant
WEAK
delighted joyful

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.

MIAMI—Despite arriving with one of the greatest rosters ever assembled, Team USA found a way to make its time at the World Baseball Classic look rather joyless.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

Great Britain's joyless start to the Winter Paralympics continued as wheelchair curlers Jo Butterfield and Jason Kean let slip their grasp on the mixed doubles semi-finals and missed out on qualifying.

From BBC • Mar. 9, 2026

Leadership sets the tone, and right now that tone feels tense and joyless.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 21, 2026

I agree with Molly Jong-Fast that the tone of non-stop outrage from that era backfired, by making liberals seem joyless and hysterical.

From Salon • Nov. 22, 2024

He announced that the national threat level, which had been jacked up to orange around the joyless first anniversary of the World Trade Center attacks, was being dropped.

From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx