celebrate

verb

cel·​e·​brate ˈse-lə-ˌbrāt How to pronounce celebrate (audio)
celebrated; celebrating

transitive verb

1
: to perform (a sacrament or solemn ceremony) publicly and with appropriate rites
A priest celebrates Mass.
2
a
: to honor (an occasion, such as a holiday) especially by solemn ceremonies or by refraining from ordinary business
The nation celebrates Memorial Day.
b
: to mark (something, such as an anniversary) by festivities or other deviation from routine
celebrated their 25th anniversary
3
: to hold up or play up for public notice
her poetry celebrates the glory of nature

intransitive verb

1
: to observe a holiday, perform a religious ceremony, or take part in a festival
The holiday revelers celebrated all day long.
2
: to observe a notable occasion with festivities
decided the only way to celebrate was to have a party
celebration noun
celebrative adjective
celebrator noun
Choose the Right Synonym for celebrate

keep, observe, celebrate, commemorate mean to notice or honor a day, occasion, or deed.

keep stresses the idea of not neglecting or violating.

kept the Sabbath by refraining from work

observe suggests marking the occasion by ceremonious performance.

not all holidays are observed nationally

celebrate suggests acknowledging an occasion by festivity.

traditionally celebrates Thanksgiving with a huge dinner

commemorate suggests that an occasion is marked by observances that remind one of the origin and significance of the event.

commemorate Memorial Day with the laying of wreaths

Examples of celebrate in a Sentence

We are celebrating my birthday by going out to dinner. The family gathered to celebrate Christmas. We are celebrating our anniversary next week. They are celebrating the birth of their third child. The book celebrates the movies of the past. Her lecture celebrated the genius of the artist. He is celebrated for his contributions to modern science. A priest celebrates Mass at the church daily.
Recent Examples on the Web Cultures around the world have celebrated this event for centuries through various rituals, festivals and traditions, often focusing on themes of fertility, growth and the balance between light and dark. The Arizona Republic, 9 Mar. 2024 Sweetener also celebrated love and light, but the dissolution of her relationship with ex-fiancé Pete Davidson and the death of ex-boyfriend Mac Miller in the months that followed its arrival informed a different lens of self-reflection on 2019’s Thank U, Next. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 9 Mar. 2024 That means setting up a dozen medical tents on the plaza and organizing iftar dinners after sunset to celebrate the end of the daily fast for tens of thousands of worshipers. Sufian Taha, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024 Olivia Culpo Shares Sweet Selfie as She and Fiancé Christian McCaffrey Go Cake Tasting Ahead of Their Wedding The former Miss Universe took to her Instagram Story to share some snippets from the island destination and to celebrate her pal Windsor on her special day. Natalia Senanayake, Peoplemag, 9 Mar. 2024 Actors Andrew Rannells and Nick Kroll were feted with the Comedy Duo award, celebrating a partnership that was mostly news to them. Jennifer Maas, Variety, 9 Mar. 2024 The mayor held a public ceremony to celebrate the government forces bringing peace. Keegan Hamilton, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2024 More than manga Toriyama was also celebrated for his contributions to video games, particularly to classic Japanese role-playing video games like the Dragon Quest series and Chrono Trigger. Nicholas Gordon, Fortune Asia, 8 Mar. 2024 This came a year after the Socialist Party of America celebrated the first National Woman's Day in the U.S. on February 28, 1909, according to the IWD site. Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 8 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'celebrate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English celebraten, borrowed from Latin celebrātus, past participle of celebrāre "to throng, frequent, observe (an occasion, festivity), praise" (probably originally back-formation from earlier concelebrāre "to frequent, honor"), derivative of celebr-, celeber "much used, frequented, widely known, famed," probably going back to *kelesri-, of uncertain origin

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of celebrate was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near celebrate

Cite this Entry

“Celebrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/celebrate. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

celebrate

verb
cel·​e·​brate ˈsel-ə-ˌbrāt How to pronounce celebrate (audio)
celebrated; celebrating
1
: to perform publicly and according to certain rules
celebrate Mass
2
: to observe in some special way (as by merrymaking or by staying away from work)
celebrate a birthday
celebrate Memorial Day
3
: to praise or make known publicly
her poetry celebrates the beauty of nature
celebration noun
celebrator noun

More from Merriam-Webster on celebrate

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