30 English Idioms for Happiness and Joy

Learn to express joy like a native speaker!

When we feel happy, we often smile, laugh, or sing.

But in English, we can also say we are happy using idioms.

Idioms are special phrases that don’t always mean what the words say. For example, “on cloud nine” doesn’t mean someone is sitting on a cloud—it means they are very happy!

In this blog post, you’ll learn 30 simple English idioms that express happiness and joy.

These idioms will help you speak English like a native speaker. Let’s begin!

This topic is part of our English Idioms & Phrases for English learners.

Table of Contents

🌞 1. On Cloud Nine

Meaning: Very happy
Example: She was on cloud nine after winning the dance competition.

🎉 2. Over the Moon

Meaning: Extremely happy or excited
Example: He was over the moon when he got a job offer from his dream company.

😁 3. In Seventh Heaven

Meaning: Feeling great happiness
Example: After eating her favorite chocolate cake, she was in seventh heaven.

😊 4. Walk on Air

Meaning: To feel very pleased or excited
Example: After getting married, they were walking on air.

🐝 5. Buzzing

Meaning: Full of excitement or joy
Example: The children were buzzing after the school trip.

😄 6. Grinning from Ear to Ear

Meaning: Smiling happily
Example: He was grinning from ear to ear when he saw his birthday gift.

💃 7. Jump for Joy

Meaning: To show happiness by jumping
Example: She jumped for joy when she passed her final exam.

😍 8. Be All Smiles

Meaning: Looking very happy
Example: He was all smiles after meeting his old friend.

💌 9. Full of the Joys of Spring

Meaning: Feeling cheerful and lively
Example: She woke up full of the joys of spring on her birthday.

☁️ 10. On Top of the World

Meaning: Feeling amazing and very happy
Example: I felt on top of the world after my performance on stage.

😆 11. Happy Camper

Meaning: A person who is happy and satisfied
Example: After a good night’s sleep, he was a happy camper.

😎 12. In High Spirits

Meaning: Feeling cheerful and excited
Example: The whole team was in high spirits after their big win.

🎶 13. Music to My Ears

Meaning: Good news that makes you happy
Example: Her praise for my work was music to my ears.

🕺 14. Have a Ball

Meaning: To enjoy a lot
Example: We had a ball at the wedding party last night.

🛫 15. Fly High

Meaning: To be successful and happy
Example: She’s flying high after starting her own business.

💝 16. Heart Leaps

Meaning: To feel a sudden joy
Example: My heart leapt when I saw my exam results.

🤸 17. Leap for Joy

Meaning: Jumping with happiness
Example: The kids leapt for joy when they heard school was closed.

🌟 18. Light Up (Someone’s) Face

Meaning: Make someone look happy
Example: Her smile lit up his face.

🍀 19. On a Roll

Meaning: Having many good things happen
Example: She’s on a roll—first a job, now a scholarship!

🦋 20. As Happy as a Clam

Meaning: Very happy and relaxed
Example: He looked as happy as a clam sitting near the beach.

☺️ 21. Smile from Ear to Ear

Meaning: To have a big happy smile
Example: She smiled from ear to ear when she saw the puppy.

🧁 22. Sweeten the Deal

Meaning: To make something more pleasant
Example: He sweetened the deal by offering a free gift.

🧚 23. A Bundle of Joy

Meaning: A happy and cheerful baby
Example: Their newborn baby is truly a bundle of joy.

👏 24. Made My Day

Meaning: Something small that brought happiness
Example: Your kind words really made my day.

🌈 25. Ray of Sunshine

Meaning: A person who brings happiness
Example: She is a ray of sunshine in our classroom.

🎈 26. Paint the Town Red

Meaning: To go out and enjoy yourself
Example: Let’s paint the town red after the exams!

🪁 27. Float on Air

Meaning: To feel very light and happy
Example: He was floating on air after his first stage performance.

🐶 28. Like a Dog with Two Tails

Meaning: Very excited and happy
Example: He was like a dog with two tails when his parents gifted him a bicycle.

✨ 29. Smile Like a Cheshire Cat

Meaning: To have a wide and mysterious smile
Example: She smiled like a Cheshire cat after hearing the surprise plan.

🌞 30. Sunshine and Rainbows

Meaning: Everything is perfect and joyful
Example: Life isn’t always sunshine and rainbows, but today it feels that way!

📝 Final Thoughts: How to Use These Idioms

Learning idioms makes your English sound more natural. Here’s how you can remember and use them:

✅ Practice speaking them in conversations with friends or family.
✅ Use them in writing—try adding one in your diary or essay.
✅ Make flashcards with idioms and their meanings.
✅ Watch English movies or shows and try to notice when they use these idioms.

Even if you remember just 5–10 idioms from this list, you’ll feel more confident expressing happiness in English.

💡 Quick Practice

Can you fill in the blanks with the correct idiom?

After getting a new phone, she was ___________.
The teacher’s praise was ___________ to my ears.
After the results came out, I was ___________.
That surprise gift really ___________.
The baby is such a ___________.

Answers:

on cloud nine
music
walking on air
made my day
bundle of joy

📚 Keep Growing Your Vocabulary

Idioms are a fun and smart way to grow your vocabulary. They don’t just help you understand English—they help you enjoy it. Start with idioms for happiness, and soon you can learn idioms for love, anger, surprise, and more.

If you enjoyed this post, share it with your friends or classmates. And remember:
👉 Practice a little every day.
👉 Use idioms in real conversations.
👉 Smile and keep learning!

Did any of these idioms make you smile?
Let me know in the comments which idiom was your favorite!

Let’s keep learning together! 😊📘