Phrase guide

high spirits

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

Joyous elation, joyfulness, joyousness.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: plural, plural-only

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: jolliness, jollity, blitheness, blithesomeness, cheerfulness, cheeriness, contentness, contentedness, delight, delightedness, elatedness, elation, exuberance, exuberantness, felicity, gaiety, gayness, gayfulness, gladness, gladsomeness, glee, gleefulness, gleesomeness, happiness, high spirits, hilarity, joviality, jovialness, joy, joyfulness, joyousness, liss, merriment, merriness, mirth, mirthfulness, pleasedness

Antonyms: low spirits, blueness, tristesse, mirthless, blues, crestfallenness, dejection, depression, despondency, distress, dolefulness, downheartedness, drearihead, forlornness, grief, heartsore, ill-being, infelicity, melancholia, melancholy, misery, mishappiness, mourn, prosternation, regret, rue, ruth, sadness, sorrow, sorrowfulness, tristfulness, undelight, unhappiness, woe, woefare, wretchedness

2

noun

Meaning 2

a feeling of joy and pride

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: elation, lightness

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: joy, joyousness, joyfulness

Narrower terms: euphoria, euphory

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

9 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: hyvä mieliala — joyfulness
  • Greek: κέφι (kéfi) — joyfulness
  • Hungarian: jókedv — joyfulness
  • Irish: mórtas — joyfulness
  • Macedonian: жи́вост (žívost) — joyfulness
  • Macedonian: ве́селост (véselost) — joyfulness
  • Macedonian: ве́село расположе́ние (véselo raspoložénie) — joyfulness
  • Scottish Gaelic: air ghleus — joyfulness
  • Scottish Gaelic: gleusta — joyfulness