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adj A1 Beginner Common

sunny

SUH-nee

Sunny (adj) means Bright with sunshine; having clear, sunlit weather. Example: “It was a sunny afternoon, perfect for the beach.”

adj
1
Bright with sunshine; having clear, sunlit weather.
"It was a sunny afternoon, perfect for the beach."
"The forecast says sunny skies all weekend."
2
Cheerful and optimistic in personality or mood.
"She greeted everyone with a sunny smile despite the bad news."

How to use sunny

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishFull of sunshine, or (about a person) cheerful and bright in mood.

Common mistake

"Sunny side up" (an egg fried without flipping, yolk facing up) is a fixed phrase — don't write it as one word.

Common pairings
sunny day sunny disposition sunny side up sunny weather

Word forms

sunnier comparative, sunnies plural, Sunnys plural, sunniest superlative

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Test yourself on “sunny” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

It was a _____ afternoon, perfect for the beach.

Etymology

From Old English sunnig, formed from sun plus the adjective ending -y.

Origin: Old English

Related words

Rhymes for sunny

See all rhymes for sunny →

Frequently asked questions

What does “sunny” mean?

The word “sunny” means bright with sunshine; having clear, sunlit weather. In plain terms, full of sunshine, or (about a person) cheerful and bright in mood.

How do you pronounce “sunny”?

“Sunny” is pronounced SUH-nee (/ˈsʌni/ in IPA).

How do you use “sunny” in a sentence?

Here is “sunny” used in a sentence: “It was a sunny afternoon, perfect for the beach.”

What is another word for “sunny”?

Words with a similar meaning to “sunny” include bright, sunshiny, sunlit and cheerful.

What part of speech is “sunny”?

“Sunny” is an adjective.

Where does the word “sunny” come from?

The word “sunny” comes from Old English. From Old English sunnig, formed from sun plus the adjective ending -y.

Is “sunny” a common word?

“Sunny” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

How many meanings does “sunny” have?

“Sunny” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: bright with sunshine; having clear, sunlit weather.

What is the difference between sunny and clear in weather forecasts?

Forecasters generally use sunny for daytime weather with plenty of sunshine and few clouds, while clear describes a cloud-free sky and is the usual word for night-time conditions. Terms like "mostly sunny" and "partly cloudy" indicate how much cloud is expected.

What are the comparative and superlative forms of sunny?

The comparative is sunnier and the superlative is sunniest: the final y changes to i before the endings, following the regular pattern for adjectives ending in a consonant plus y. For example, "July was sunnier than June, and August was the sunniest month of all."

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