The child played happy.

Meaning: This means the child was engaging in activity for enjoyment and recreation while feeling or showing pleasure or contentment.

Choice of Words: Child is a young human being below the age of puberty. Played is a verb meaning to engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation. Happy means feeling or showing pleasure or contentment. When you put them together, "The child played happy" means the young human being below the age of puberty engaged in activity for enjoyment and recreation while feeling or showing pleasure or contentment.

Alternative Expressions

The child was happy as he played.

Meaning: This sentence describes a child who was feeling happy while playing. It tells us that the child's happiness was connected to their play.

Choice of Words: The child refers to the subject of the sentence, a young person. Was indicates a state of being in the past tense. Happy describes the child's emotional state. As introduces a dependent clause that provides additional information about the child's happiness. Played describes the child's actions in the past tense.

Playing brought happiness to the child.

Meaning: This sentence describes how the act of playing made the child feel happy. It tells us that the child's happiness was a direct result of their play.

Choice of Words: Playing describes the child's actions in the present tense. Brought indicates that the action of playing resulted in something else. Happiness describes the positive emotion that the child experienced. To indicates the recipient of the happiness. The child refers to the subject of the sentence, a young person.

With a smile on their face, the child reveled in the joy of play.

Meaning: This sentence describes a child who is experiencing great happiness while playing. It tells us that the child's joy is evident in their facial expression and their overall demeanor.

Choice of Words: With introduces a phrase that describes the child's appearance. A smile refers to an expression of happiness. On indicates the location of the smile. Their face refers to the child's face. Revealed means to indulge in something with great pleasure. In indicates the object of the child's enjoyment. The joy refers to the positive emotions experienced during play. Of indicates the source of the joy. Play refers to the child's activities.

Related Expressions