1
a
: of, relating to, or characterized by sexual or romantic attraction to people of one's same sex
gay men
a gay woman in her 40s
—often used to refer to men onlygay and lesbian members of the community
b
: of, relating to, or intended for people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, etc.
the gay rights movement
a gay bar
2
a
: happily excited : merry
in a gay mood
b
: keenly alive and exuberant : having or inducing high spirits
a bird's gay spring song
4
: given to social pleasures
also
: licentious
gay
adverb
gayness
noun
plural gays
sometimes disparaging + offensive; see usage paragraph below
: a gay person
especially
: a gay man
Usage of Gay
Use of the noun gay to refer to a particular person or particular people is commonly considered offensive. Phrases that employ the adjective are preferred
a gay author
they are both gay
over such uses as
The author is a gay.
and
They are both gays.
which employ the noun. The noun does, however, function as a neutral or positive self-descriptor, and in its plural form is common especially in phrases with other plural nouns that relate to sexual orientation and gender identity.
the rights of gays and lesbians
It is also sometimes used neutrally to refer in a general way to gay people.
gays serving in the military
Examples of gay in a Sentence
Adjective
The band was playing a gay tune.
the gayest of the spring flowers
Recent Examples on the Web
Glenn Garner, Deadline, 17 Aug. 2025
Miranda is now fully gay, split up from Steve (David Eigenberg), her son Brady (Niall Cunningham) a man-child stumbling through his twenties.
—Lyz Lenz, Rolling Stone, 16 Aug. 2025
Jun and Arthur are both in their early forties, and as with most gay men of their generation, their gay identities formed first as a matter of revelation and survival, next as a matter of pleasure and defiance, and finally as a matter of community and pride.
—Literary Hub, 15 Aug. 2025
By amplifying the voices of gay men over 60, the film explores how historical figures can mirror contemporary struggles for freedom and inclusion.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gay
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adjective
Pearce’s drag character Mitzi was the persona of Adam Whitely, an arrogant young gay man who often teasingly deadnames Bernadette as ‘Ralph’.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 17 Aug. 2025
Miranda is now fully gay, split up from Steve (David Eigenberg), her son Brady (Niall Cunningham) a man-child stumbling through his twenties.
—Lyz Lenz, Rolling Stone, 16 Aug. 2025
Jun and Arthur are both in their early forties, and as with most gay men of their generation, their gay identities formed first as a matter of revelation and survival, next as a matter of pleasure and defiance, and finally as a matter of community and pride.
—Literary Hub, 15 Aug. 2025
By amplifying the voices of gay men over 60, the film explores how historical figures can mirror contemporary struggles for freedom and inclusion.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gay
Cite this Entry
“Gay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gay. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
gay
adjective1
: of, relating to, or characterized by sexual or romantic attraction to individuals of one's same sex
gay men
a gay woman in her 40s
—often used to refer to men onlygay and lesbian members of the community
2
: of, relating to, or intended for people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, etc.
gay issues
Biographical Definition
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