gladden

/ˈɡlædn̩/

//ˈɡlædn̩// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"gladden" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“gladden” is uncommon English (frequency #74,991 among 2,313 “G” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#74,991
frequency rank, English
2,313
“G” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To cause (something) to become more glad.

Corpus desk

Index EN-gladden · gladden · English

gladden · rank #74,991 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #74,991
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,313
  • PHOTO-FINISH gimlet

Nearest frequency peer: gimlet (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “gladden”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “gladden” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for gladden
PropertyValue
Headwordgladden
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈɡlædn̩/
Letters7
Frequency rank#74,991
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “gladden” in English

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).gladdenfalls in this rarity band:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Rare peers in the same band: “gimlet” (#74,990), “glasnost” (#74,992), “gestural” (#74,989). Among 2,313 “G” headwords, “gladden” is #74,991. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

gladden is uncommon English at frequency #74,991 among 2,313 “G” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ˈɡlædn̩/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

Zero misspellings are on record for gladden in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From glad + -en. The correct English form is gladden, spelled G-L-A-D-D-E-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    To cause (something) to become more glad.
  2. 2
    To become more glad in one's disposition.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how gladden appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. A balmy night! and tho' the stars be dim, / Yet let us think upon the vernal showers / That gladden the green earth, and we shall find / A pleasure in the dimness of the stars.
  2. Her body was bent by age; her limbs trembled with palsy; her face, distorted into a mumbling leer, resembled more the grotesque shaping of some wild pencil, than the work of Nature's hand. Alas! How few of Nature's faces are left alone to gladden us with their beauty!

Etymology

From glad + -en.

Synonyms

beatifyenrapturebegladdenblissenbrightcheerfetchcheer upcherishcontentdelightelateelevateenblissexhilaratefaingaygladdengladden someone's heartgratifyhappifyhappyheartenjollifylaetificatelight upmake someone's dayperk uppleaseraise someone's spiritsrejoiceturn the frown upside downupcheerwarm someone's heartwarm the cockles of someone's heart

Antonyms

sadden

This word in other languages

alborozar(Español)réjouir(Français)freuen(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "gladden"?
"gladden" is spelled G-L-A-D-D-E-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɡlædn̩/.
What does "gladden" mean?
As a verb, "gladden" means: To cause (something) to become more glad.
How do you pronounce "gladden"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "gladden" is /ˈɡlædn̩/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "gladden"?
From glad + -en. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "gladden", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Gosnell#75,003funfair#74,977gravure#75,010forages#74,969

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list