may speak of a brute as
experiencing _comfort_ or _pleasure_, but scarcely as in possession of
_happiness_; we speak of vicious _pleasure_, _delight_, or _joy_, but
not of vicious _happiness_. _Felicity_ is a philosophical term, colder
and more formal than _happiness_. _Gladness_ is _happiness_ that
overflows, expressing itself in countenance, voice, manner, and action.
_Joy_ is more intense than _happiness_, deeper than _gladness_, to which
it is akin, nobler and more enduring than _pleasure_. _Gaiety_ is more
superficial than _joy_, more demonstrative than _gladness_. _Rejoicing_
is _happiness_ or _joy_ that finds utterance in word, song, festivity,
etc. _Delight_ is vivid, overflowing _happiness_ of a somewhat transient
kind; _ecstasy_ is a state of extreme or extravagant _delight_ so that
the one affected by it seems almost beside himself with _joy_; _rapture_
is closely allied to _ecstasy_, but is more serene, exalted, and
enduring. _Triumph_ is such _joy_ as results from victory, success,
achievement. _Blessedness_ is at once the state and the sense of being
divinely blessed; as, the _blessedness_ of the righteous. _Bliss_ is
ecstatic, perfected _happiness_; as, the _bliss_ of heaven. Compare
COMFORT.

Antonyms:

See synonyms for GRIEF.

* * * * *

HAPPY.

Synonyms:

blessed, cheering, gay, lucky, rejoiced,
blissful, cheery, glad, merry, rejoicing,
blithe, delighted, jocund, mirthful, smiling,
blithesome, delightful, jolly, pleased, sprightly,
bright, dexterous, joyful, prosperous, successful,
buoyant, felicitous, joyous, rapturous, sunny.
cheerful, fortunate,

_Happy_ primarily refers to something that comes "by good hap," a chance
that brings prosperity, benefit, or success.

And grasps the skirts of _happy_ chance.

TENNYSON _In Memoriam_ lxiii, st. 2.

In this sense _happy_ is closely allied to _fortunate_ and _lucky_. (See
FORTUNATE.) _Happy_ has, however, so far diverged from this original
sense as to apply to advantages where chance is not recognized, or is
even excluded by direct reference to the divine will, when it becomes
almost equivalent to _blessed_.

Behold, _happy_ is the man whom God correcteth.

_Job_ v, 17.

_Happy_ is also applied to the ready dexterity or skill by