mirth

mirth — noun

1. a cheerful feeling of amusement that makes you laugh, or the happy sound of laug

1.nounC1
Definition

a cheerful feeling of amusement that makes you laugh, or the happy sound of laughter that comes from this feeling

Example

The comedian's jokes filled the hall with such mirth that people wiped away tears.

collocation: fill with mirth

A ripple of mirth ran through the crowd when little Aiko danced on the stage.

a ripple of mirth — metaphorical quantity expression

Common collocations
  • fill with mirth
  • cause mirth
  • a ripple of mirth
  • a spark of mirth
  • a source of mirth
  • full of mirth
  • eyes sparkle with mirth
Synonyms
  • merriment

    very similar meaning; slightly less literary, often used for lively social enjoyment

  • hilarity

    louder, more boisterous laughter; suggests an explosive or uncontrollable reaction

  • glee

    more playful and personal; often carries a sense of mischievous delight

  • joviality

    emphasises the good-natured, sociable atmosphere rather than the laughter itself

Antonyms
  • sorrow

    a feeling of deep sadness, the opposite emotional state

  • melancholy

    a pensive sadness, more subdued than sorrow

Grammar Patterns

mirth + (prepositional phrase)

possessive + mirth

Usage Note

A formal or literary word. In everyday conversation, 'laughter', 'fun', or 'amusement' are more natural choices for casual speech.

Common Mistakes

She made a mirth face when she heard the joke.
Her face showed mirth when she heard the joke.
mirth is a noun, not an adjective; use 'mirthful' for the adjective form.

Word family

  • mirthful
    adjectiveC2
  • mirthless
    adjectiveC2
  • mirthfully
    adverbC2
  • mirthlessly
    adverbC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe joyful amusement, but they differ in intensity and social setting. Mirth is the broadest term, covering quiet amusement through to cheerful laughter, and appears most often in formal or literary contexts. Merriment is close in meaning but feels warmer and more sociable — it suggests a group of people having a good time together. Hilarity sits at the louder end of the scale: it describes unrestrained, often noisy laughter that takes over a room. Glee is more personal and can carry a hint of playful mischief — a child might shout with glee, but an adult showing glee over someone's mistake would sound ironic. Joviality focuses on the friendly, good-humoured atmosphere of a social gathering rather than the laughter itself. For example: 'The room was full of mirth at the wedding reception' (general), 'The children screamed with glee when they saw the puppy' (personal delight), and 'The joke caused hilarity across the entire office' (loud shared laughter).

merrimenthilarityglee ↗joviality

Common collocations

Nouns

  • ripple of mirth
  • burst of mirth
  • moment of mirth
  • source of mirth

Adverbs

  • with mirth

Phrases

  • fill someone with mirth
  • cause much mirth
  • a cause for mirth

Prepositions

  • mirth at
  • mirth among

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Mirth comes from Old English 'myrgþ', which meant joy or pleasure. This word is related to 'merry' (cheerful and lively). Both trace back through Proto-Germanic to an ancient root meaning 'short' — possibly because laughter feels brief and passing, or because merry-making was associated with a shortened, festive day. The spelling shifted from 'mirthe' in Middle English to the modern 'mirth' by the 1500s.