glad

glad — adjective

1. feeling happiness and pleasure because something good has happened or is about t

1.adjectiveA2
Definition

feeling happiness and pleasure because something good has happened or is about to happen

Example

Dahlia was glad to hear that her grandmother had fully recovered from the surgery.

glad + to-infinitive for reaction to good news

The children were glad when the rain stopped and they could go outside to play.

Common collocations
  • glad to hear
  • glad to see
  • glad about something
  • glad for someone
Synonyms
  • happy

    broader and more common; can go before a noun ('a happy child')

  • pleased

    more formal, often implies satisfaction with a specific outcome

  • delighted

    stronger intensity; suggests great joy or excitement

  • content

    quieter, more settled sense of satisfaction, not necessarily tied to a specific event

Antonyms
  • sad

    the most general opposite

  • unhappy

    describes ongoing displeasure rather than a reaction to an event

Grammar Patterns

be glad + to-infinitive

be glad + that-clause

be glad + about/for + noun phrase

Usage Note

This sense of 'glad' is only used after a linking verb (such as 'be', 'feel', or 'seem'), never directly before a noun. You can say 'She felt glad' but not 'a glad person' in modern English.

Common Mistakes

I am a glad person to meet you.
I am glad to meet you.
'glad' cannot be placed before a noun; it must follow a linking verb.
I am glad for to see you.
I am glad to see you.
'for' is not used before an infinitive after 'glad'.

2. happy to do what is asked or offered, especially when you want to be helpful or

2.adjectiveB1
Definition

happy to do what is asked or offered, especially when you want to be helpful or cooperative

Example

Rafael said he would be glad to drive the children to school every morning.

would be glad + to-infinitive for polite offers

If you need help with cooking, Stephanie would be glad to assist in the kitchen.

conditional: would be glad to + offer

Common collocations
  • glad to help
  • glad to assist
  • glad to oblige
  • glad to do
Synonyms
  • willing

    more neutral and less emotional; does not imply happiness

  • happy

    interchangeable in this pattern ('happy to help')

  • eager

    implies stronger enthusiasm and readiness

  • ready

    focuses on preparedness rather than positive feeling

Antonyms
  • unwilling

    direct opposite; not wanting to do something

  • reluctant

    implies hesitation or resistance

Grammar Patterns

be glad + to-infinitive

would be glad + to-infinitive

Usage Note

This sense almost always appears with a to-infinitive. The phrase 'would be glad to + verb' is a common polite formula for making offers or accepting requests. Unlike sense 1, what makes you glad here is the act of doing something, not an external event.

Common Mistakes

I am glad for help you.
I am glad to help you.
'glad' expressing willingness takes a to-infinitive, not a 'for' phrase.
I am glad helping you.
I am glad to help you.
Use the to-infinitive, not the -ing form, after 'glad' for willingness.
Idioms

I’m glad to say (that…)

idiom

This phrase shows that you feel happy about something you are telling someone.

I'm glad to say that my sister passed her driving test.

The project finished on time, I'm glad to report.

glad — verb

glad — noun

Word family

  • gladly
    adverbB1
  • gladness
    nounB2
  • gladden
    verbC2
  • gladiolus
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All five words describe a positive emotional state, but they differ in intensity, grammar, and typical use. 'Happy' is the broadest and most neutral term — it can describe both a lasting personality trait ('a happy child') and a momentary feeling. 'Glad' is more restricted: it is used only after a linking verb ('I am glad'), never before a noun, and it almost always refers to a specific reason or event that causes the feeling. 'Pleased' carries a slightly more formal tone and implies satisfaction with an outcome that meets expectations. 'Delighted' is the strongest of the group, suggesting great joy or excitement. 'Content' describes a quieter, more settled satisfaction without the need for a specific trigger. For example, you might be 'glad that the rain stopped' (a reaction to a change), 'pleased with your test score' (meeting a standard), and 'delighted to receive a surprise gift' (intense joy), while feeling 'content' describes a general state of ease.

glad ↗happy ↗pleased ↗delighted ↗content ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • very glad
  • so glad
  • really glad
  • quite glad
  • genuinely glad

Phrases

  • glad to say
  • glad to report
  • only too glad
  • glad of the chance

Prepositions

  • glad about
  • glad for
  • glad of

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishEnglish

The word 'glad' comes from Old English 'glæd', which originally meant 'shining, bright, or cheerful'. This goes back to a Proto-Germanic root '*gladaz', related to Old Norse 'glaðr' (bright, joyful) and Old High German 'glat' (shining, smooth). The original sense of physical brightness gradually shifted to a meaning of emotional brightness — joy and happiness. The noun 'gladiolus' is from a different Latin root, meaning 'little sword' (from 'gladius' — sword), named for the sword-shaped leaves of the plant.