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.

The jovial royal believes he can persuade Jerry to change course.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2026

The dictator was in a jovial mood and the two spoke for four hours, dining on black bread, potato pancakes and an array of meats.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 24, 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

The large-scale audience participation of “Twenty-Sided Tavern” naturally invites a jovial, party-like atmosphere.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 10, 2025

Dale returned to his seat while the men backslapped each other and said jovial things back and forth.

From "It All Comes Down to This" by Karen English

Vocabulary lists containing jovial

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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!