as in to delight
to give satisfaction to
it would gladden me to hear you sing again
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Recent Examples of gladden
But there’s something reliably gladdening about sitting down with a warm bowl that promises to nourish.
—
Karen Yuan, Bon Appétit, 1 Feb. 2025
But there’s something genuinely gladdening to take away from this inquiry into the modern media.
—Jason Linkins, The New Republic, 18 Feb. 2023
The quick-change, prop-heavy musical skit brings to the stage, briefly, staples from that classic variety show that will gladden the hearts of TV nostalgists: acrobats, plate spinners, jugglers, the Rockettes, the Vienna Boys Choir, Liberace and even the mouse puppet Topo Gigio.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Nov. 2022
The word from Washington is sure to gladden the Newsom campaign.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2021
Even a dead beaver, with its buck teeth sticking out of its decomposing skull, seemed to gladden Balken.
—Elizabeth Kolbert, The New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2021
Lopez, after all, is a pop star—her work is to rouse, inspire, and gladden large crowds by encouraging them to revel in a moment of fleeting, collective joy.
—Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 21 Jan. 2021
The Concorde will gladden the hearts of record buffs.
—J. A. Maxtone Graham, Popular Mechanics, 24 Sep. 2020
That turnaround is sure to gladden the hearts of Republicans, who have no hope of controlling the White House without Texas.
—Todd J. Gillman, Dallas News, 6 Sep. 2020
Karen Yuan, Bon Appétit, 1 Feb. 2025
But there’s something genuinely gladdening to take away from this inquiry into the modern media.
—Jason Linkins, The New Republic, 18 Feb. 2023
The quick-change, prop-heavy musical skit brings to the stage, briefly, staples from that classic variety show that will gladden the hearts of TV nostalgists: acrobats, plate spinners, jugglers, the Rockettes, the Vienna Boys Choir, Liberace and even the mouse puppet Topo Gigio.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Nov. 2022
The word from Washington is sure to gladden the Newsom campaign.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2021
Even a dead beaver, with its buck teeth sticking out of its decomposing skull, seemed to gladden Balken.
—Elizabeth Kolbert, The New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2021
Lopez, after all, is a pop star—her work is to rouse, inspire, and gladden large crowds by encouraging them to revel in a moment of fleeting, collective joy.
—Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 21 Jan. 2021
The Concorde will gladden the hearts of record buffs.
—J. A. Maxtone Graham, Popular Mechanics, 24 Sep. 2020
That turnaround is sure to gladden the hearts of Republicans, who have no hope of controlling the White House without Texas.
—Todd J. Gillman, Dallas News, 6 Sep. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gladden
Verb
-
Jackson had been delighted by the number of young people who had turned out, a perennial goal for august cultural institutions.—
Margaret Talbot,
New Yorker,
10 July 2025
-
Thus far, the administration has managed to fend off initial court challenges, maintain arrests at a steady clip, and generate images of a ruthless crackdown in a liberal bastion that delight the president’s supporters.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 July 2025
Verb
-
Then the governor, seemingly trying to please the president, vetoed laws that assist Floridians in survival mode.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 July 2025
-
Two tiebreaking runs scored, a fact that pleased Altuve far more than another milestone in a career full of them.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
4 July 2025
Verb
-
This level of detail positions your content as the go-to resource that satisfies even the most specific queries.—
Kevin Dam,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2025
-
Now, Diesel has confirmed that Fast and Furious will end the long journey classically by satisfying the three wishes that fans made.—
Saajan Jogia,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 July 2025
Verb
-
These were mood amplifiers, filling in the silence where Drake’s voice trailed off, and warming the edges of his restraint.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
5 July 2025
-
The fact that the snow halted operations raises questions about the array's operations as the climate warms.—
María de los Ángeles Orfila,
Space.com,
5 July 2025
Verb
-
Millions of periodical cicadas bide their time, feasting on tree roots and counting the years.—
Sarah Henry,
The Courier-Journal,
8 July 2025
-
Families gather to feast, exchange gifts and welcome good fortune.—
Ana Gutierrez,
Austin American Statesman,
2 July 2025
Verb
-
The project amused Shaw-Rimmington—he’d never seen an actual stagecoach house built in that way, and certainly not in California.—
Jennie Rothenberg Gritz,
Smithsonian Magazine,
1 July 2025
-
Fans of Pitch Perfect, which famously begins with Camp's Aubrey profusely upchucking all over the crowd at the a cappella finals, will be, if not delighted, at least amused to know that her new film, Bride Hard, begins in much the same way.—
Lauren Huff Published,
EW.com,
21 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gladden.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gladden. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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