revelry

noun

rev·​el·​ry ˈre-vəl-rē 

: noisy partying or merrymaking

Synonyms of revelry

• festivity
• celebration
• merrymaking
• merriment

Examples of revelry in a Sentence

Each city has its own Carnival, but none, not even the revelry of Mardi Gras, is as spectacular as Brooklyn's. —Peter Noel, Village Voice, 6 Sept. 1994

Wassailing is an ancient English custom, part of the feasts and revelry of New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, which have been revived in Colonial Williamsburg. —Joan P. Dutton, The Williamsburg Cookbook, 1975

The tall minister stood again at the altar. He waited for the song and the revelry to die. —Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, 1969

The small birds were taking their farewell banquets. In the fullness of their revelry, they fluttered, chirping and frolicking from bush to bush, and tree to tree … —Washington Irving, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, 1820

the lottery winner was exhausted after a long night of revelry

Recent Examples on the Web

Here, with so many cities, brewpubs and restaurants embracing this tradition, the revelry goes on for six weeks, from mid-September right up to Halloween. — Linda Zavoral, Mercury News, 8 Sep. 2026

But in some recent years the revelries have been tarnished by shootings and stabbings. — John Annese, New York Daily News, 7 Sep. 2026

But the late-night revelry definitely penetrated the walls of her hotel. — Jeanne Bonner, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026

The revelry continued the next day, when more than 150,000 spectators attended the Bathers’ Revue. — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see revel entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

revelry

noun

rev·​el·​ry ˈrev-əl-rē 

plural revelries

: rough and noisy merrymaking