Overjoy

Pronunciation varies by accent · verb

Meaning

(transitive) To give great joy, delight or pleasure to..

Definitions by Sense

1. (transitive) To give great joy, delight or pleasure to.
2. (transitive, rare) To give too much joy to.
3. (intransitive, obsolete) To take too much pleasure (in something).
4. Very great joy.
5. Excessive joy.

Example Sentences

The prospect of writing three exams in a row without a break does not overjoy me.

This salutation ouerioyes my heart.

In overjoying me, you are grown sad;

If my Letter pleas'd you, your's overjoy'd me; and I expect impatiently your kind Viſit: […]

Ah, child, thou art but half thy darling mother’s; / Hers couldst thou wholly be, / My light in thee would outglow all in others; / She would relive to me. / But niggard Nature’s trick of birth / Bars, lest she overjoy, / Renewal of the loved on earth / Save with alloy.

1598, John Wilbye, The First Set of English Madrigals, London: Thomas Este, Madrigal , Your deeds my hart surchargd with ouerioying:

1685, Thomas Manton, “A Description of the True Circumcision” in Several Discourses Tending to Promote Peace and Holiness among Christians, London: Jonathan Robinson, p. 113, That he doth not over-joy in worldly Comforts, nor over-grieve for worldly Losses.

it is hard not to ouer-ioy in a sudden prosperitie, and, to vse happinesse is no lesse difficult, then to forbeare it

Synonyms for overjoy

Antonyms for overjoy

Related Words

Word Forms

• overjoys
• overjoying
• overjoyed

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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