merry

adjective

mer·​ry ˈmer-ē How to pronounce merry (audio)
ˈme-rē
merrier; merriest
1
: full of gaiety or high spirits : mirthful
eat, drink, and be merry
2
: marked by festivity or gaiety
a merry holiday time
3
: quick, brisk
a merry pace
4
archaic : giving pleasure : delightful
merrily
ˈmer-ə-lē How to pronounce merry (audio)
ˈme-rə-
adverb
merriness
ˈmer-ē-nəs How to pronounce merry (audio)
ˈme-rē-
noun
Choose the Right Synonym for merry

merry, blithe, jocund, jovial, jolly mean showing high spirits or lightheartedness.

merry suggests cheerful, joyous, uninhibited enjoyment of frolic or festivity.

a merry group of revelers

blithe suggests carefree, innocent, or even heedless gaiety.

arrived late in his usual blithe way

jocund stresses elation and exhilaration of spirits.

singing, dancing, and jocund feasting

jovial suggests the stimulation of conviviality and good fellowship.

dinner put them in a jovial mood

jolly suggests high spirits expressed in laughing, bantering, and jesting.

our jolly host enlivened the party

Examples of merry in a Sentence

Let's eat, drink, and be merry! They sang a merry little song.
Recent Examples on the Web With the holidays behind him, Michael Bublé is no longer singing about having a merry little Christmas. Jonah Valdez, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2024 This merry gentleman is rested and nothing can dismay me. Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Dec. 2023 Isn’t the point of a holiday to eat, drink and be merry? Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 10 Jan. 2024 Several designers weighed in on the very best homes that are merry and bright year-round. Kelsey Mulvey, Sunset Magazine, 19 Dec. 2023 Screen time can be a loaded topic, and headlines about its effects on development can fill parents with anxiety and shame during an already stressful time that’s supposed to be merry and bright. Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 18 Dec. 2023 Check out how the merry crew has decorated for the holidays throughout the years. Mackenzie Schmidt, Peoplemag, 21 Dec. 2023 At a press conference this week, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg warned that bad weather could be on the way to make this Christmas a little less merry by disrupting holiday air travel. Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 20 Dec. 2023 Everyone have a merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'merry.' 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 mery, from Old English myrge, merge; akin to Old High German murg short — more at brief

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Time Traveler
The first known use of merry was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near merry

Cite this Entry

“Merry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/merry. Accessed 27 Jan. 2024.

Kids Definition

merry

adjective
mer·​ry ˈmer-ē How to pronounce merry (audio)
merrier; merriest
1
: full of good humor and good spirits : mirthful
2
: marked by gaiety or festivity
a merry Christmas
merrily adverb
merriness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on merry

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