feel-good

American

[feel-good] / ˈfilˌgʊd /

adjective

Informal. intended to make one happy or satisfied.

a feel-good movie; feel-good politics.

feel-good British

adjective

causing or characterized by a feeling of self-satisfaction

feel-good factor

"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

Etymology

Origin of feel-good

An Americanism dating back to 1975–80

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.

Hosted by actor Casey Wilson, the reunion is an upbeat, feel-good affair, highlighting some of Season 1’s most memorable moments and faces.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

Bronner inherited his verbosity and gumption from his grandfather, Emanuel Bronner, who originally crammed all-caps, feel-good credos onto the labels of his soap bottles in the 1940s.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

Disney's feel-good animated film "Zootopia 2" showed its staying power, moving up to third place at $12 million over the four-day weekend.

From Barron's • Jan. 18, 2026

While accepting the inaugural award for best podcast at last Sunday’s Golden Globes, Amy Poehler — perennial optimist and the mind behind some of contemporary culture’s most feel-good media — made a rare off-color joke.

From Salon • Jan. 16, 2026

With an hour left before my privileges were up and Dad would take back the computer, I was determined to finish compiling a feel-good playlist.

From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas

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