Find Antonyms
jolly Antonyms
Opposite of jolly
Because the opposite of jolly shifts with each meaning, the 17 antonyms and opposite words below are separated across 4 exact definitions and ranked by contrast strength.
• adjective (Context 1)
Full of high spirits, merriment, and good humor; happy and cheerful.
Usage Example
"The shopkeeper was a miserable man who greeted every customer with a warm laugh."
Strongest
miserable
gloomy
morose
glum
melancholy
Strong
dour
somber
sullen
• adjective (Context 2)
Very pleasant, enjoyable, or delightful (used informally).
Usage Example
"We had a dreadful afternoon picnicking by the riverbank."
Strongest
dreadful
unpleasant
Strong
wretched
• adverb (Context 3)
To a high degree; very or extremely (used informally as an intensifier).
Usage Example
"It was barely kind of you to help us move our furniture over the weekend."
Strongest
barely
hardly
Strong
slightly
• verb (Context 4)
To keep (someone) in a good mood through friendly coaxing, flattery, or cheerful banter, especially to gain cooperation (often followed by 'along').
Usage Example
"The director had to antagonize the exhausted cast along during the final hours of filming."
Strong
antagonize
dispirit
provoke
Similar words to jolly
Words similar to jolly shift depending on context. Common synonyms include:
very
merry
jovial
cheerful
extremely
delightful
thrill
kick
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Antonyms for Jolly. In Wordmom Thesaurus. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/antonyms/jolly