delighted
6 synonyms and 0 antonyms for delighted, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adjective — Feeling great pleasure or happiness.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use delighted
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Frequently asked questions
What does “delighted” mean?
The word “delighted” means feeling great pleasure or happiness. In plain terms, very pleased or happy about something.
How do you pronounce “delighted”?
“Delighted” is pronounced dih-LEYE-tihd (/dɪˈlaɪtɪd/ in IPA).
How do you use “delighted” in a sentence?
Here is “delighted” used in a sentence: “We were delighted to hear the good news.”
What part of speech is “delighted”?
“Delighted” is an adjective.
Is “delighted” a common word?
“Delighted” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between delighted and happy?
Delighted is stronger than happy: it means feeling great pleasure, usually in response to something specific such as good news or an invitation. Happy is the everyday, all-purpose word and can describe a general state as well as a reaction. Saying you are delighted signals noticeably more enthusiasm than plain happy would.
Which preposition goes with delighted — with, at, or by?
All three occur: you are typically delighted with a thing or result ("delighted with the service") and delighted at or by news or an event ("delighted at the outcome"). Delighted is also very commonly followed by a to-infinitive ("delighted to meet you") or a that-clause ("delighted that you can come").
Can you say "very delighted"?
Native speakers generally avoid "very delighted," because delighted is already a strong adjective meaning feeling great pleasure. The natural intensifiers are absolutely, truly, or thoroughly delighted. If you want to use very, the usual choices are "very pleased" or "very happy."
Is delighted formal or informal?
Delighted works in both polite-formal and everyday English. It is a standard choice in invitations and replies ("We would be delighted to attend"), where happy might sound too plain. In casual speech it can sound slightly effusive, which is often exactly the effect the speaker wants.