When we want to express that someone was appearing joyful or content, there are many synonyms we can use instead of "looked happy". Some options include "beamed", "gleamed", "radiated", "smiled broadly", "grinned from ear to ear", "lit up", "bubbled over with happiness", "glowed", "appeared delighted", "brimmed with joy", or "exuded satisfaction". Each of these synonyms can add a unique nuance to the description of someone's emotional state. By using one of these synonyms instead of the common phrase "looked happy", we can make our writing more expressive and help our readers to imagine the scene with greater detail and vibrancy.