a cause of joy

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a cause of joy" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that brings happiness or delight to someone. Example: "The arrival of spring is often seen as a cause of joy for many people who enjoy the warmer weather and blooming flowers."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

And that factor, or the elimination of it, is the reason that Gabriel Missé's visits to New York in recent years have been a cause of joy.

The New Yorker

The dilemma for international agencies focused on tackling the problems caused by rapid population growth in developing countries is that the individual births they drew attention to were, of course, a cause of joy and celebration for the families involved.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

It gives legal recognition to the performance of an exorcism, and was a cause for joy – according to the head of the association.

Independent

Father Francesco Bamonte, an exorcist from the Diocese of Rome, said in the Vatican's daily L'Osservatore Romano that the Holy See's approval of the IAE was a "cause for joy, not just for us associates but for the Church as a whole.

Independent

"But this year it is a cause for joy.

The New York Times

During its debut year the place was therefore visited as frequently as any art museum on the planet except the Met and the Louvre, a cause for unalloyed joy among lovers of contemporary art, if we choose to persuade ourselves that this outpouring has had to do with looking seriously at art.

The New York Times - Arts

It was an announcement which caused an outpouring of joy across the world, but the young couple at the centre of it all, Prince William and his beloved "Princess Ordinary", have asked that coverage of her pregnancy should not be intrusive.

Independent

An incident that caused a burst of joy or shame in one would be completely ignored by others.

Huffington Post

Unsurprisingly, his arrest caused a wave of joy that swept Romanians in very much the same way Margaret Thatcher's death delighted certain British leftists last year.

Vice

Improv Everywhere aims to "cause scenes of joy in public places".

Huffington Post

We want to be the cause of others joy and the savior of their sorrows.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a cause of joy" to describe events or situations that elicit strong positive emotions. It is particularly effective when emphasizing the reason behind the happiness.

Common error

While grammatically correct, excessively using "a cause of joy" in formal or academic writing can sound sentimental. Opt for more neutral phrases like "a reason for optimism" or "a positive development" in such contexts.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a cause of joy" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as a subject complement or object of a preposition. It identifies the reason or event that elicits happiness, as evidenced in Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a cause of joy" is a grammatically correct noun phrase used to describe something that elicits happiness or delight. Ludwig AI confirms its validity, although its usage is relatively rare. While adaptable across various contexts, it appears most frequently in news and media. When aiming for formal or academic writing, consider opting for more neutral alternatives such as "a positive development" or "a reason for optimism" to avoid sounding overly sentimental. Key to its effective application is to emphasize the reason or event behind the feeling of joy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

reason for happiness

Focuses on the happiness aspect, using 'reason' instead of 'cause'.

source of delight

Replaces 'joy' with 'delight' and 'cause' with 'source'.

occasion for rejoicing

Uses 'occasion' to highlight the event and 'rejoicing' to express happiness.

matter for gladness

Emphasizes the feeling of gladness as a result.

something to celebrate

Highlights the celebratory aspect of the situation.

a joyful event

Simplifies the phrase to focus on the event's joyful nature.

reason to be cheerful

Focuses on the feeling of cheerfulness.

something that brings happiness

A more descriptive phrase highlighting the effect of bringing happiness.

a blessing

Implies a positive and fortunate event.

a piece of good news

Focuses on the news being positive and welcome.

FAQs

How can I use "a cause of joy" in a sentence?

You can use "a cause of joy" to describe something that brings happiness or delight. For example: "The birth of their first child was "a cause of joy" for the entire family."

What are some alternatives to "a cause of joy"?

Some alternatives include "reason for happiness", "source of delight", or "occasion for rejoicing", depending on the specific context.

Is it appropriate to use "a cause of joy" in formal writing?

While grammatically correct, "a cause of joy" can sound somewhat sentimental in formal writing. Consider using more neutral alternatives like "a positive development" or "a reason for optimism" in such contexts.

What's the difference between "a cause of joy" and "a source of joy"?

While both phrases convey happiness, "a cause of joy" emphasizes the reason or event that brings about the emotion, whereas "a source of joy" highlights the origin or provider of the happiness. They are largely interchangeable but have slightly different focuses.