This quaint period property in Co Wicklow is on the market for €795,000
This quaint period property in Co Wicklow is on the market for €795,000

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Sarah Finnan

Taylor Swift is a sport
Taylor Swift is a sport

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This ivy-adorned red brick on Ailesbury Road is on the market for €12 million
This ivy-adorned red brick on Ailesbury Road is on the market for €12 million

Sarah Finnan

Irish artist Bebhinn Eilish on mythology, mysticism, and unpicking misogyny through art
Irish artist Bebhinn Eilish on mythology, mysticism, and unpicking misogyny through art

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Supper Club: Little Green Spoon’s halloumi, avocado and lime salad
Supper Club: Little Green Spoon’s halloumi, avocado and lime salad

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Join us for our event ‘Keep Doing What Matters – Culinary Delights’
Join us for our event ‘Keep Doing What Matters – Culinary Delights’

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Exclusive short story from Rebecca Ivory’s new book, ‘Free Therapy’
Exclusive short story from Rebecca Ivory’s new book, ‘Free Therapy’

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Scandi-cool meets Irish country in this period Cork apartment
Scandi-cool meets Irish country in this period Cork apartment

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Interior designer Sorcha Harman shares her tips for sourcing and styling vintage pieces
Interior designer Sorcha Harman shares her tips for sourcing and styling vintage pieces

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Image / Editorial

Here Are The Happiest Words In The English Language


By Niamh ODonoghue
18th May 2017
Here Are The Happiest Words In The English Language

Here are 20+ lovely words filled with sunshine and happiness because it’s Thursday and we need some positivity


There are over?171,476 words in the Oxford dictionary,?how do you decide how happy a word is? A plethora of research around the?intrinsic attractiveness of words has taken place over time. One such study, carried out by the University of Vermont and the University of Adelaide enlisted the help of the public and asked them to rate the happiness quotient of the words they encountered.

A plethora of research around the?intrinsic attractiveness of words has taken place over time. One such study, carried out by the University of Vermont and the University of Adelaide enlisted the help of the public and asked them to rate the happiness quotient of the words they encountered.

By the end, researchers had listed over 200 words that give people feelings of happiness and contentment. In no particular order, here are the top 20 words to put a smile on your face:

laughter

happiness

love

happy

laughed

laugh

laughing

excellent

laughs

joy

successful

win

rainbow

smile

won

pleasure

smiled

rainbows

winning

Also making the ultimate happy list is bright, cutest, entertaining, excited, excitement, joke, millionaire, prize, succeeded, successfully, winners, shines, awesome, genius, achievement, cake, cheers, exciting, goodness, hug, income, party, puppy, smiling, song, succeeding, tasty, victories, achieved, billion, cakes, easier, flowers, gifts, gold, merry, families, handsome, lovers, affection, cute, diamond, interesting, peacefully, praise, relaxing, roses, Saturdays, faithful, heavens, cherish, congrats, cupcake, glory, hilarious, moonlight, optimistic, peaceful, romance, feast, attractive, glad, grandma, internet, pleasant, profits, smart.

Of course, there are plenty of negative and nasty words too but you won’t find them here. We don’t need any more negativity in our lives, do we?

Why not challenge yourself to throw a couple of these into conversation today and see how many people you can make smile? Why don’t I get you started: I awoke with excellent laughter and joy from my dream where I had the pleasure of teaching Donald Trump how to love, be happy, smile, and laugh. I wasn’t successful in my mission, but I felt like I had won because the White House was suddenly filled with happiness and a giant colourful rainbow engulfed the sky.

See, aren’t you happier now?