glad: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Neutral to informal. Considered standard but slightly old-fashioned in some formal or literary contexts.
Quick answer
What does “glad” mean?
feeling pleasure, happiness, or satisfaction.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
feeling pleasure, happiness, or satisfaction.
Pleased or willing to do something; causing happiness (e.g., 'glad tidings'); having a light or cheerful appearance ('glad rags').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning or grammar. The expression 'glad rags' (fancy clothes) is slightly more common in UK English.
Connotations
In both varieties, it can sound slightly dated or formal compared to 'happy' or 'pleased' in casual speech. The phrase 'I'd be glad to...' remains common and polite.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in American English according to corpus data, but the difference is marginal.
Grammar
How to Use “glad” in a Sentence
be glad (that) + clausebe glad to + infinitivebe glad about/of + noun phraseVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “glad” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- 'Glad' is not used as a verb in modern English.
American English
- 'Glad' is not used as a verb in modern English.
adverb
British English
- 'Gladly' is the adverb: 'I would gladly swap places with you.'
American English
- 'Gladly' is the adverb: 'She gladly accepted the new position.'
adjective
British English
- I'm ever so glad you decided to visit.
- She was glad of the warm jumper on the chilly hike.
American English
- I'm really glad you could make it to the party.
- He was glad for the extra support during the project.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in polite professional communication: 'We'd be glad to assist with the proposal.'
Academic
Rare in formal academic writing. May appear in acknowledgements or reflective pieces.
Everyday
Common in conversational responses: 'Glad you liked it!' 'I'm glad the meeting went well.'
Technical
Not used in technical contexts.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “glad”
- Using it attributively like 'a glad person' (unnatural; use 'a happy person').
- Overusing in formal writing where 'pleased' or 'gratified' may be more appropriate.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is neutral but leans slightly informal. In very formal writing, 'pleased' or 'gratified' might be preferred.
No. 'Glad' is an adjective, not a verb. You must use a form of 'be': 'I am glad', 'he was glad', etc.
'Happy' can describe a general state of wellbeing. 'Glad' is typically a reaction to a specific situation or news. You can be 'happy with your life' but 'glad about a promotion'.
No. 'Glad' comes from Old English 'glæd' (bright, shining, cheerful). 'Gladiator' comes from Latin 'gladius' (sword). They are false friends.
feeling pleasure, happiness, or satisfaction.
Glad: in British English it is pronounced /ɡlad/, and in American English it is pronounced /ɡlæd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “glad rags”
- “give someone the glad hand”
- “glad tidings”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a GLADiolus flower – its bright, cheerful appearance makes you feel GLAD.
Conceptual Metaphor
HAPPINESS IS BRIGHTNESS/LIGHT (e.g., 'her glad smile lit up the room').
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following uses of 'glad' is LEAST natural?