These words describe exhilarated or joyful states of mind. Joyous suggests a strong feeling of contentment or high spirits, often because of the expectation or realization of some good: joyous celebrations in anticipation of the end of war. Joyous is sometimes applied to people as synonym for joyful, but is also used of something that promotes joy or is in itself an expression of joy: the joyous song of the thrush.

Happy and glad are the most general words of this group, but are also the weakest, since they do not ordinarily imply the excitement and strong feeling indicated by joyous and by some of the other words. In social exchange happy and glad are used in mild expression of enjoyment or willingness.

• I shall be glad to help you find a new job; We are very happy to see you.

In its wider sense happy suggests tranquil contentment and fulfilment of one’s aspirations and desires: to be happy in one’s work; to have a happy marriage.

Ecstatic and elated both emphasize greater joy and delight than does happy . From its earlier meaning of being in a trancelike state of religious fervour, ecstatic suggests such an overpowering joy or mental exaltation that one is beside oneself: a young boy ecstatic in his first love; a travller ecstatic over the art treasures of Florence. Elated , less forceful than ecstatic , points to the great pleasure and self-satisfaction arising from success or good fortune: a novelist elated over the favourable reviews of his book; a young father elated over the birth of twins.

A person who is euphoric may outwardly resemble in behaviour one who is ecstatic or elated ; however, upon closer observation, it will be seen that his vigour and buoyancy are exaggerated and out of proportion to the situation at hand. Although experienced at one time or another by most people, euphoria is commonly thought of as occurring during the course of certain mental disturbances or after the ingestion of alcoholic beverages or of certain drugs.

High and turned on are informal terms used to describe more or less artificially induced exhilaration or euphoria . High is used most commonly and colloquially of a person who is animated and talkative after drinking an alcoholic beverage.

• He usually gets quite high on just two drinks.

High is also applied in a slang sense to one who has taken a narcotic drug and is experiencing the resultant euphoria or contented lethargy. Turned on , a current slang term that originated among psychedelic drug users, is more frequently found as a verb than as an adjective. In its narrowest sense, to turn on means either to begin feeling the effect of a marijuana cigarette or to introduce a neophyte to the practice.

• Every Saturday night they and a group of their friends turn on ; Last week his flat-mate turned him on .

It may also mean to take or be under the influence of any narcotic or psychedelic drug: turned on with LSD. By extension, turn on may also mean to excite or strongly attract.

• Bach’s music always turns him on ; Men with soulful brown eyes always seem to turn her on .