Joy and happiness are both positive emotions but they have some key differences Updated september 1, 2025 | reviewed by michelle quirk Learn more about their similarities and differences here.
Picture of Joy Mei
A person or thing that causes happiness
Both positive, cheerful, synonyms, no
You may use them interchangeably in everyday conversation, but according to clinical psychologist and new york times bestselling author shefali tsabary, ph.d., what truly brings you joy isn't the same as what makes you happy It's not just about semantics As she shares on the mindbodygreen podcast, there's a stark, major difference. Discover everything about the word joy in english
A feeling or state of great delight or happiness A source or cause of keen pleasure or delight A book that was a joy to read The expression or display of glad feeling
The emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying
See examples of joy used in a sentence. Happiness 4 ways to bring more joy into your life new research suggests 4 ways to find and nurture joy in your life
