delighted

delighted — adjective

1. feeling great happiness or satisfaction about something that has happened or tha

1.adjectiveA2
Definition

feeling great happiness or satisfaction about something that has happened or that you are going to do

Example

Matthew was delighted to receive the scholarship for his research project.

delighted + to-infinitive for future or immediate actions

Haruto's parents were delighted that he chose to study medicine.

delighted + that-clause for a fact or situation

Common collocations
  • absolutely delighted
  • truly delighted
  • clearly delighted
  • delighted smile
  • delighted expression
  • delighted audience
  • delighted to help
  • delighted to accept
  • delighted to report
Synonyms
  • thrilled

    stronger than delighted, often implies excitement and sudden joy

  • overjoyed

    extremely happy, usually about unexpected good news

  • ecstatic

    very intense, unrestrained happiness; stronger than delighted

  • pleased

    milder and less emotional than delighted; expresses satisfaction

Antonyms
  • disappointed

    the opposite feeling — unhappy because something did not meet expectations

Grammar Patterns

delighted + to-infinitive (e.g. delighted to meet)

delighted + that-clause (e.g. delighted that you came)

delighted + with/by/at + noun phrase

Usage Note

Often used in polite offers and invitations, especially with the phrase 'would be delighted to'. Stronger and more emphatic than 'pleased' or 'happy' — it suggests genuine enthusiasm rather than mere satisfaction.

Common Mistakes

I was delighted for hearing the news.
I was delighted to hear the news.
'delighted' is followed by 'to + infinitive', not 'for + gerund'.
The movie was delighted.
I was delighted by the movie.
'delighted' describes a person's feeling, not a thing's quality. Use 'delightful' for things.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe a positive emotional reaction, but they differ in intensity and context. 'Pleased' is the mildest — it expresses quiet satisfaction, often in formal or polite settings ('I'm pleased to inform you...'). 'Delighted' is stronger, conveying genuine warmth and enthusiasm. 'Thrilled' adds an element of excitement, as if the person is trembling with joy. 'Overjoyed' suggests happiness so intense it overflows, usually triggered by unexpected good news. 'Ecstatic' is the most extreme, describing near-uncontrollable joy. For everyday situations, use 'delighted' or 'pleased'; reserve 'ecstatic' for life-changing events like winning a major award or reuniting with a loved one after years apart.

pleased ↗thrilled ↗overjoyedecstatic

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • delighted to help
  • delighted to accept
  • delighted to report
  • delighted to announce

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Derived from the past participle of the verb 'delight', which came into Middle English from Old French 'delitier' (to please, to charm), and ultimately from Latin 'delectare' (to charm, to delight, to please). The adjective form emerged in the 16th century to describe a person filled with delight.