jovial

adjective

jo·vial ˈjō-vē-əl

-vyəl

Synonyms of jovial next

: characterized by good-humored cheerfulness and conviviality : jolly

a jovial host

a jovial welcome

spent a jovial evening together

capitalized : of or relating to Jove

joviality

ˌjō-vē-ˈa-lə-tē

noun

jovially

ˈjō-vē-ə-lē

-vyə-

adverb

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Jovial and Birth Dates

In Roman astrology, planets were named after gods, and people were thought to share the personality traits of the god whose planet was rising when they were born. Jupiter, also called Jove, was the chief Roman god and was considered a majestic type who was the source of joy and happiness. The Latin adjective jovialis means "of or relating to Jove." In French, this had become jovial, which English borrowed and used to describe people and things full of cheer or joy.

Choose the Right Synonym for jovial

merry, blithe, jocund, jovial, jolly mean showing high spirits or lightheartedness.

merry suggests cheerful, joyous, uninhibited enjoyment of frolic or festivity.

a merry group of revelers

blithe suggests carefree, innocent, or even heedless gaiety.

arrived late in his usual blithe way

jocund stresses elation and exhilaration of spirits.

singing, dancing, and jocund feasting

jovial suggests the stimulation of conviviality and good fellowship.

dinner put them in a jovial mood

jolly suggests high spirits expressed in laughing, bantering, and jesting.

our jolly host enlivened the party

Example Sentences

In response, an infuriating wink: Alsana always likes to appear jovial at the very moment that her interlocutor becomes hot under the collar. —

Zadie Smith, White Teeth, 2001

I felt I was slumming, in my own life. My task was to ward off the drivel … the jovial claptrap of classmates and teachers, the maddening bromides I heard at home. —

Susan Sontag, New Yorker, 21 Dec. 1987

For, the people who were shovelling away on the housetops were jovial and full of glee; calling out to one another from the parapets, and now and then exchanging a facetious snowball … —

Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol, 1843

The audience was in a jovial mood. He's a very jovial man.

Recent Examples on the Web Kaminsky, of course, was known for his jovial personality, along with many others on those Badgers teams as UW became one of the best teams in the country during that period. —

Christopher Kuhagen, Journal Sentinel, 10 July 2023 Some wondered whether his good temper was an indication that Djokovic, with a men’s singles record 23rd major title safely in hand, was now in a more relaxed and jovial mood. —

David Waldstein, New York Times, 3 July 2023 Bars, after all, are jovial places that offer a casual atmosphere and a low-stakes way of figuring someone out, as well as easy routines to slip into, providing comfort in what can be a fairly nerve-wracking scenario. —

Lauren O’Neill, Vogue, 21 June 2023 Bring your kids, bring a group, because owner Julian Barsotti wants his eponymous restaurant to be a jovial hangout. —

Sarah Blaskovich, Dallas News, 10 May 2023 The royal family is barely visible in the background through the jovial crowd. —

Jacob Linden, Redbook, 5 May 2023 There’s nothing quite as festive as popping bottles to fete life’s most jovial moments. —

Camille Okhio, ELLE Decor, 28 Apr. 2023 At the foundation of Devers’s success is a competitive fervor that can sometimes be overlooked because of his bright smile and jovial energy. —

Julian McWilliams, BostonGlobe.com, 28 Mar. 2023 Taylor Swift had a jovial backstage run-in with none other than Lenny Kravitz on Monday night at the 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards. —

Glenn Rowley, Billboard, 28 Mar. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'jovial.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.