Definitions

jovial

[joh-vee-uhl] / ˈdʒoʊ vi əl /

ADJECTIVE

happy

Synonyms

STRONGEST

affable amiable buoyant cheery chipper convivial cordial festive good-natured jolly lighthearted pleasant sociable

WEAK

airy animated bantering blithe blithesome bouncy chaffing chirpy companionable conversable daffy delightful dizzy enjoyable facetious festal gay glad gleeful hilarious humorous jocose jocund jokey jollying joshing jubilant larking loony lots of laughs merry mirthful nutty off-the-wall

Antonyms

STRONGEST

depressed disagreeable gloomy hateful heavy-hearted mean surly unfriendly unhappy unpleasant unsociable

WEAK

sad

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.

Trump, taking a jovial tone, has even joked about his Scottish-born mother having a crush on Charles.

From Barron's • Apr. 29, 2026

Sharp lettering sits side-by-side with jovial illustrations of cannons, sombreros and brujas.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026

The British network said Kimmel will "reflect on the past few months in a deeply personal and characteristically jovial address", following his "return to air and his much-publicised criticism of the US administration".

From BBC • Dec. 22, 2025

The mood is jovial inside the Old Oaks Community Centre in East Acton, as I am welcomed with friendly smiles.

From BBC • Dec. 12, 2025

“Oh, I hardly think they’ll do that,” Aarfy replied with a jovial chuckle, although his symptoms of nervousness increased.

From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller

Vocabulary lists containing jovial

The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 2

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Words to Capture Your Joy

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!