happy
/ˈhæp.i/ IELTSAcademic
adjective
Feeling pleasure, joy, or satisfaction. If you are happy, you feel good about something or about life in general.
- She felt happy after the exam.
- I'm happy to help you.
- They were happy with the results.
Adinary Nuance
Happy is the everyday word for a good feeling. It is softer and more general than pleased, cheerful, or delighted. Use pleased for polite approval, cheerful for a bright mood, and delighted for stronger happiness.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- vui vẻ
- Spanish
- feliz
- Chinese
- 高兴
- Japanese
- 幸せな
- Korean
- 행복한
Etymology
Happy comes from Old English hap, meaning 'luck' or 'chance'. It entered Middle English as a word for good fortune and later developed the sense of joy.
Common phrases
happy birthdayhappy to helphappy withhappy family
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is happy a formal word?
- No. It is common in both speech and writing.
- What is the difference between happy and pleased?
- Happy is broader and more emotional. Pleased often means satisfied or politely happy.
- Can I say happy about something?
- Yes. For example: 'I'm happy about the news.'
- Is happy used in IELTS writing?
- Yes, but it is simple. In formal writing, other words may sound more precise.