Glad — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective verb noun /ˈglad/

Meaning & Definition of Glad

Glad (adjective)

  1. experiencing pleasure, joy, or delight, made happy
  2. very willing
  3. made pleased, satisfied, or grateful —often used with of

Glad (verb)

  1. gladden

Glad (noun)

  1. gladiolus

Glad (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. experiencing pleasure, satisfaction, or delight

    "the man was glad to see his old college buddies again, after so long an absence"

    similar: blissful, chuffed (British), delighted, gratified, happy, joyful, joyous, pleased, satisfied, thankful, tickled
    related: beaming, blithe, blithesome, buoyant, cheerful, cheery, gay, gladsome, lighthearted, sunny, upbeat, gleeful, jocund, jolly, jovial, laughing, merry, mirthful, smiling, beatific, ecstatic, elated, enraptured, entranced, euphoric, exhilarated, intoxicated, rapturous, rhapsodic, exuberant, exultant, jubilant, rapt, rejoicing, thrilled, hopeful, optimistic, rosy, sanguine
    opposite: displeased, dissatisfied, joyless, sad, unhappy, unpleased, unsatisfied
    near: abject, aggrieved, anguished, blue, brokenhearted, dejected, depressed, despondent, disconsolate, disheartened, downcast, downhearted, forlorn, melancholy, doleful, dolorous, lachrymose, mournful, plaintive, sorrowful, sorry, woeful, black, dark, desolate, dispirited, gloomy, glum, gray, grieved, heartbroken, heartsick, miserable, woebegone, wretched

  2. having a desire or inclination (as for a specified course of action)

    "I am glad to do the work if it will help the cause"

    similar: amenable, disposed, fain, game, inclined, minded, ready, willing
    related: predisposed, prone, accommodating, agreeable, compliant, cooperative, obedient, obliging, submissive, favorable, receptive, prepared, prompt, quick, responsive, swift, desirous, eager, enthused, enthusiastic, excited
    opposite: disinclined, unamenable, unwilling
    near: averse, loath, reluctant, reticent

  3. serving to lift one's spirits

    "doctors brought glad tidings to the reporters awaiting news of the queen's condition"

    similar: bright, cheerful, cheering, cheery, gay
    related: gladdening, heartening, heartwarming, gleaming, radiant, sparkling
    opposite: bleak, cheerless, dark, depressing, dismal, dreary, gloomy, gray
    near: discouraging, disheartening, colorless, drab, dull, lackluster, lusterless, black, desolate, dispiriting

  4. feeling or expressing gratitude

    "she was glad of the offer of a ride home"

    similar: appreciative, appreciatory, grateful, obliged, thankful
    related: beholden, indebted, contented, delighted, gratified, pleased, satisfied, tickled, thanking
    opposite: inappreciative, thankless, unappreciative, ungrateful
    near: inhospitable, rude, thoughtless, ungracious

Glad (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to give satisfaction to

    "it hath gladded my heart to see thy face again"

    similar: agree (with), content, delight, feast, gas (slang), gladden, gratify, please, pleasure, rejoice, satisfy, suit, warm
    related: appease, mollify, pacify, placate, soothe, assuage, quench, sate, satiate, excite, tickle, titillate, amuse, divert, entertain, treat, captivate, charm, galvanize, thrill, calm, comfort, cater (to), humor, indulge, coddle, mollycoddle, pamper, spoil
    opposite: displease
    near: aggravate, annoy, bother, bug, chafe, cross, exasperate, gall, get, grate, irk, irritate, nettle, peeve, perturb, pique, put out, ruffle, vex, anger, enrage, incense, inflame, infuriate, madden, outrage, rankle, rile, roil, steam up, provoke, rouse, agitate, distress, disturb, fret, upset, harass, harry, pester, affront, insult, offend

Related Entry: Glad-hander (noun)

Glad-hander is a different word from Glad. The synonyms below are for glad-hander, not for glad.

  1. a gregarious and unreserved person

    "an irrepressible glad-hander, she's a natural for the company's public relations department"

    similar: backslapper, extrovert
    related: exhibitionist, show-off
    opposite: introvert, shrinking violet, wallflower

Related Entry: Glad rags (plural noun)

Glad rags is a different word from Glad. The synonyms below are for glad rags, not for glad.

  1. dressy clothing

    "a trendy designer fashioning glad rags for the beautiful people"

    similar: array, best, bravery, caparison, feather, finery, frippery, full dress, gaiety, regalia, best bib and tucker
    related: apparel, attire, costume, duds, habiliment(s), rags, raiment, rig, rigging, threads, toggery, togs, vestiary, vesture, wear
    near: tatters, disarray, dishabille

Related Entry: Glad hand (noun)

Glad hand is a different word from Glad. The synonyms below are for glad hand, not for glad.

  1. as in welcome mat

    similar: welcome mat, acceptance, embrace, welcome, open arms
    opposite: brush-off, cold shoulder, rebuff, repulse, silent treatment, snub, dismissal, kiss-off, rejection, banishment, blackball, ostracism

Related Entry: Glad hands (noun)

Glad hands is a different word from Glad. The synonyms below are for glad hands, not for glad.

  1. as in welcome mats

    similar: welcome mats, acceptances, embraces, welcomes, open arms
    opposite: brush-offs, cold shoulders, rebuffs, repulses, silent treatments, snubs, dismissals, kiss-offs, rejections, banishments, blackballs, ostracisms

Related Entry: Glad-handers (noun)

Glad-handers is a different word from Glad. The synonyms below are for glad-handers, not for glad.

  1. a gregarious and unreserved person

    "an irrepressible glad-hander, she's a natural for the company's public relations department"

    similar: backslappers, extroverts
    related: exhibitionists, show-offs
    opposite: introverts, shrinking violets, wallflowers

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Glad

The most common words with a similar meaning to Glad:

British: chuffed
Slang: gas
blissful, delighted, gratified, happy, joyful, joyous, pleased, satisfied, thankful, tickled, amenable, disposed, fain, game, inclined, minded, ready, willing, bright, cheerful, cheering, cheery, gay, appreciative, appreciatory, grateful, obliged, agree (with), content, delight, feast, gladden, gratify, please, pleasure, rejoice, satisfy, suit, warm

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Glad

Words with the opposite meaning of Glad:

displeased, dissatisfied, joyless, sad, unhappy, unpleased, unsatisfied, disinclined, unamenable, unwilling, bleak, cheerless, dark, depressing, dismal, dreary, gloomy, gray, inappreciative, thankless, unappreciative, ungrateful, displease

Related Words for Glad

beaming, blithe, blithesome, buoyant, gladsome, lighthearted, sunny, upbeat, gleeful, jocund, jolly, jovial, laughing, merry, mirthful, smiling, beatific, ecstatic, elated, enraptured, entranced, euphoric, exhilarated, intoxicated, rapturous, rhapsodic, exuberant, exultant, jubilant, rapt

Near Antonyms of Glad

abject, aggrieved, anguished, blue, brokenhearted, dejected, depressed, despondent, disconsolate, disheartened, downcast, downhearted, forlorn, melancholy, doleful, dolorous, lachrymose, mournful, plaintive, sorrowful, sorry, woeful, black, desolate, dispirited, glum, grieved, heartbroken, heartsick, miserable

Word Forms of Glad

Inflections: gladder, gladdest, gladded, gladding

Derived words: gladly (adverb), gladness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Glad

Middle English, shining, glad, from Old English glæd; akin to Old High German glat shining, smooth, Latin glaber smooth, bald

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Glad

Words & Phrases Containing Glad

glad-hand, glad hand, glad rags

Frequently Asked Questions about Glad

What does "Glad" mean?

"Glad" means experiencing pleasure, joy, or delight, made happy. As an an adjective, a verb and a noun, it is defined as: experiencing pleasure, joy, or delight, made happy. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Glad"?

Other words for "Glad" include blissful, chuffed, delighted, gratified, happy, joyful, joyous and pleased. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Glad" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Glad"?

There are 137 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Glad". Common alternatives include blissful, chuffed, delighted, gratified, happy, joyful, joyous, pleased, satisfied and thankful.

What is the opposite of "Glad"?

Antonyms of "Glad" include displeased, dissatisfied, joyless, sad, unhappy, unpleased, unsatisfied and disinclined. Near antonyms include abject, aggrieved, anguished and blue.

How do you use "Glad" in a sentence?

Examples of "Glad" in a sentence: "the man was glad to see his old college buddies again, after so long an absence"; "I am glad to do the work if it will help the cause"; "doctors brought glad tidings to the reporters awaiting news of the queen's condition".

Is "Glad" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Glad" can be used as an adjective, a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Glad" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B1-level word, "Glad" is typical of Cambridge B1 Preliminary (PET), IELTS band 4.0–5.0, TOEFL iBT 42–71, PTE Academic 43–58, TOEIC Listening & Reading 550+.

How do you pronounce "Glad"?

"Glad" is pronounced /ˈglad/.