Is joyous a synonym for happy?

While joyous and happy are both positive emotions, they have slightly different connotations:

* Happy is a general feeling of contentment and satisfaction. It can be a temporary state or a more enduring feeling.

* Joyous is a more intense and exuberant feeling of delight and happiness. It often involves a sense of exhilaration and celebration.

So, joyous is a synonym for happy, but it is a stronger synonym, implying a higher level of happiness and intensity.

Here's an example:

* Happy: "I'm happy to see you."

* Joyous: "We had a joyous celebration after her graduation."

You could say that joyous is a type of happy, but not all happiness is joyous.