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Synonyms

glad

1 American  
[glad] / glæd /

adjective

gladder, gladdest

  1. feeling joy or pleasure; delighted; pleased: glad that you are here.

    glad about the good news;

    glad that you are here.
    Synonyms:
    contented, elated
    Antonyms:
    sad

  2. accompanied by or causing joy or pleasure: glad tidings.

    a glad occasion;

    glad tidings.
    Antonyms:
    sad

  3. characterized by or showing cheerfulness, joy, or pleasure, as looks or utterances.

    Synonyms:
    cheery, happy, cheerful, joyful, joyous, merry
    Antonyms:
    sad

  4. very willing.

    I'll be glad to give him your message.

verb (used with object)

gladded, gladding

  1. Archaic. to make glad.

glad 2 American  
[glad] / glæd /

noun

  1. gladiolus.

glad 1 British  
/ ɡlæd /

adjective

  1. happy and pleased; contented

  2. causing happiness or contentment

  3. very willing

    he was glad to help

  4. happy or pleased to have

    glad of her help
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. an archaic word for gladden

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
glad 2 British  
/ ɡlæd /

noun

  1. Also called (Austral): gladdie.  informal short for gladiolus

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
glad Idioms  

    More idioms and phrases containing glad

Other Word Forms

  • gladly adverb
  • gladness noun

Etymology

Origin of glad1

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English glæd; cognate with Old Norse glathr “bright, glad,” Dutch glad, German glatt “smooth”; akin to Latin glaber “smooth”

Origin of glad2

First recorded in 1920–25; by shortening

Explanation

Glad is how you feel when you hear that something nice happened to someone you care about, or when you learn you got an A on that test you studied so hard for. It means happy or pleased. Glad doesn't quite mean jumping for joy — it's more a state of contentment and pleasure. You're glad to hear from an old friend who calls you out of the blue and glad to meet your friendly new neighbors. Glad can also mean "eagerly willing" so you might say, "I'll be glad to taste test those brownies for you!" The Old English source is glæd, "gleaming, joyous, or gracious."

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

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.

“I’m glad to see that the community is pushing back hard on that.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

He’s glad the numbers for this are getting better: 19% of people surveyed have a healthcare proxy, up from 15% last year.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026

On Monday she said: "I cannot discuss the terms of the settlement, but generally I am glad that my employer has finally decided to extend an olive branch to me."

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

“We are so glad you started your week with us and it is good to be home,” Guthrie told viewers.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026

I was so glad to be there, so glad Patch and I weren’t alone, that I sank down on the floor in front of her hearth.

From "Nory Ryan’s Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.