To gladden means to make someone happy or joyful. When something gladdens your heart, it fills you with a warm, positive feeling. A surprise visit from your grandparents might gladden you, or hearing that your best friend is moving back to town could gladden your whole family.

The word has an old-fashioned, heartfelt quality to it. People don't usually say “that gladdened me” about small pleasures like getting an extra cookie. Instead, they use it for deeper happiness: news that gladdens a worried parent, a reunion that gladdens old friends, or an act of kindness that gladdens everyone who witnesses it.

You might read in a story that “the sight of spring flowers gladdened the travelers after their long winter journey,” or that “the coach was gladdened by his team's sportsmanship.” The word suggests a happiness that reaches deeper than a quick smile or laugh. It's the kind of joy that lightens your whole mood and makes you feel grateful or hopeful about something meaningful.