Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Feeling or expressing pleasure, joy, or happiness: Used to describe a person's emotional state of being pleased or content.
   • Eager and willing: Used to indicate a ready and cheerful willingness to do something.
   • Causing or bringing happiness: Used to describe something, such as news or an occasion, that produces joy.

2. Noun:

   • A gladiolus: A type of flowering plant with tall stems and brightly colored, funnel-shaped flowers.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • I am glad you could come to the party. (Expressing personal happiness.)
  • She was glad of the opportunity to help. (Expressing appreciation.)
  • We received the glad news of their safe arrival. (Describing something that causes joy.)
  • "I'd be glad to show you the way," he said. (Expressing willingness.)

• Noun:

  • She planted red and white glads in the garden. (Referring to the flowers.)

Advanced Usage

• "glad of": Thankful for or appreciative of something.
  • After the long hike, they were glad of the rest.
• "glad that" / "glad to see/hear/know": Common structures to introduce the reason for the glad feeling.
  • I'm so glad that you're feeling better.
  • We were glad to hear about your promotion.

Variants and Related Words

• Gladly (adverb): In a willing or pleased manner.
  • I would gladly assist you.
• Gladness (noun): The feeling or state of being glad.
  • Her heart was filled with gladness.
• Glad-hand (verb, informal): To greet someone warmly, especially in a way that may seem insincere.
  • The politician glad-handed the crowd.
• Glad rags (noun, informal): A person's best or most formal clothes.
  • She wore her glad rags to the gala.

Synonyms

• Happy: Feeling or showing pleasure or contentment.
• Pleased: Feeling or showing satisfaction.
• Delighted: Feeling or showing great pleasure.
• Joyful: Feeling, expressing, or causing great pleasure and happiness.
• Willing: Ready, eager, or prepared to do something.

Related Phrases

• Give someone the glad eye (idiom, informal): To look at someone in a way that shows romantic or sexual interest.
  • He was giving her the glad eye from across the bar.
• Give someone the glad hand (idiom, informal): To give someone a warm, friendly, and often effusive welcome, which can sometimes be insincere.
  • The manager gave the new clients the glad hand.

Notes

The adjectival use of "glad" is more common than the noun form. As an adjective, it is typically used predicatively (e.g., "I am glad") rather than attributively (before a noun), except in certain fixed phrases like "glad news" or "glad occasion."

Adjective

1. cheerful and bright
   • a beaming smile
   • a glad May morning
2. feeling happy appreciation
   • glad of the fire's warmth
3. eagerly disposed to act or to be of service
   • glad to help
4. showing or causing joy and pleasure; especially made happy
   • glad you are here
   • glad that they succeeded
   • gave a glad shout
   • a glad smile
   • heard the glad news
   • a glad occasion

Noun

1. any of numerous plants of the genus Gladiolus native chiefly to tropical and South Africa having sword-shaped leaves and one-sided spikes of brightly colored funnel-shaped flowers; widely cultivated