they were delighted

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "they were delighted" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to express that a group of people were pleased or happy about something. For example: "When Jane and her friends heard they had won the competition, they were delighted."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

They were delighted.

The New York Times

Conservationists said they were delighted.

The Guardian

They were delighted to be there.

The New York Times

They were delighted with the idea.

The New Yorker

They were delighted after she read it".

The New Yorker

Mr. Darwin's children said they were delighted.

The New York Times

They were delighted with the synths".

The Guardian

The boy's great-grandparents said they were "delighted".

The New York Times

They were delighted that writer liked their coca.

The New Yorker

So they were delighted to be with us".

The New York Times

Senators of both parties said they were delighted.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "they were delighted" to convey a sense of happiness or pleasure in response to a specific event or situation. Ensure the context clearly indicates who 'they' refers to.

Common error

Avoid using "they were delighted" when a milder expression of happiness is more appropriate. Overusing strong positive emotions can weaken the impact of your writing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "they were delighted" functions as a statement expressing the emotional state of a group of people. It indicates their positive reaction or happiness towards a particular event or situation, as confirmed by Ludwig AI.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

72%

Science

14%

Formal & Business

6%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Academia

2%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "they were delighted" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to convey happiness or pleasure experienced by a group. As Ludwig AI confirms, its use is appropriate in various contexts, from formal news reports to casual conversations. The most frequent contexts are found in news and media, but also in science and formal business settings. When writing, it's important to consider whether "delighted" accurately reflects the intended level of enthusiasm; alternatives like "they were pleased" or "they were thrilled" may be more suitable depending on the situation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

they were happy

Uses the simpler term 'happy' instead of 'delighted'.

they were pleased

Uses 'pleased' instead of 'delighted', offering a more subdued expression of happiness.

they were thrilled

Substitutes 'delighted' with 'thrilled' for a stronger sense of excitement.

they were overjoyed

Replaces 'delighted' with 'overjoyed', indicating extreme happiness.

they were elated

Replaces 'delighted' with 'elated' to convey a sense of great happiness and exhilaration.

they expressed joy

Replaces the specific emotion 'delighted' with a broader term 'joy'.

they were gratified

Substitutes 'delighted' with 'gratified', suggesting a feeling of satisfaction.

they showed great pleasure

Replaces 'delighted' with 'great pleasure', altering the sentence structure.

they beamed with joy

Uses a more visual and expressive way to describe their happiness.

their happiness was evident

Changes the structure to focus on the evidence of their happiness rather than stating it directly.

FAQs

What does "they were delighted" mean?

The phrase "they were delighted" means that a group of people experienced a high degree of pleasure or happiness about something.

What can I say instead of "they were delighted"?

You can use alternatives like "they were thrilled", "they were pleased", or "they were overjoyed" depending on the context.

How to use "they were delighted" in a sentence?

You can use "they were delighted" when you want to express that a group of people were very happy or pleased about something. For example, "When they heard the news, they were delighted."

Is "they were delighted" formal or informal?

"They were delighted" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. However, the specific situation and audience should be considered to ensure it appropriately conveys the intended level of enthusiasm.