Literary notes about gleeful (AI summary)
The word "gleeful" is often used to convey a burst of unbridled joy or mischief, a quality that can belie both innocence and a darker, ironic edge. It frequently appears alongside physical gestures or sounds—laughter that spills over into a gleeful chuckle or shout, as in the case of a character’s carefree outburst ([1], [2], [3]). At other times, its use can transform a scene by infusing it with unexpected delight even amidst grim circumstances, such as when an action driven by violence or cruelty is met with a gleeful response ([4], [5]). Whether describing the exuberance of children at play or the sly satisfaction underlying a character’s triumph ([6], [7]), "gleeful" enriches the narrative palette by capturing moments of spirited emotional release.
- And then—I don’t care—I’ve got you again,” she answered with a gleeful laugh.
— from 'Tween Snow and Fire: A Tale of the Last Kafir War by Bertram Mitford - "Hooray!" yelled a gleeful boy in the throng.
— from The Submarine Boys' Trial Trip"Making Good" as Young Experts by Victor G. Durham - “There he is,” she said, with a gleeful little laugh.
— from Eli's Children: The Chronicles of an Unhappy Family by George Manville Fenn - she murmured to herself; nor even suspected that it was a wholesale massacre of foreign nations which had been the cause of this gleeful outburst.
— from About Peggy Saville by Vaizey, George de Horne, Mrs. - But the more vehemently I insisted, the more he aggravated my distress by his insulting, gleeful laugh.
— from The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë - Round and round they would go, first one taking the lead, then another, all good-natured and gleeful as schoolboys.
— from Squirrels and Other Fur-Bearers by John Burroughs - “Nikólenka... wounded... a letter,” she announced in gleeful triumph. “Nicholas!” was all Sónya said, instantly turning white.
— from War and Peace by graf Leo Tolstoy
