revelry

noun

rev·​el·​ry ˈre-vəl-rē How to pronounce revelry (audio)
: noisy partying or merrymaking

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 The quirky weeklong gathering in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert — notorious for an imaginative array of revelry — sparked viral fears amid circulating images showing knee-deep mud and stuck cars. Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 10 Sep. 2023 Makeup-free—or nearly—was name of the game this week, feeds filled with those too consumed by summer revelry to bother with overwrought routines. Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2023 So pulling Xavier into the locker-room revelry and giving him the ball after the most impressive game of Tatum’s life was an easy choice. Adam Himmelsbach, BostonGlobe.com, 16 May 2023 The Golden Swan, with its iconic address and bohemian provenance, provided the perfect setting for the revelry. Ian Malone, Vogue, 25 Aug. 2023 In the midst of the revelry, officials ruled goalkeeper Luis Malagón jumped off the goal line too early and allowed Maher to rekick the shot. Victoria Hernandez, USA TODAY, 10 Aug. 2023 Up above, in private rooms with large windows, the revelry is in full swing. Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2023 In Haut bas fragile, Nathalie Richard on the nightclub dance floor loses sight of her partner and spins, akimbo, lost in her own revelry, evoking Alain Resnais as well as René Clair. Armond White, National Review, 26 July 2023 While Ibiza certainly has no shortage of venues perfect for revelry (with panoramic views), Bella and Gary had to find a place that could accommodate their 272-person guest list. Leena Kim, Town & Country, 9 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'revelry.' 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

see revel entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

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

Dictionary Entries Near revelry

Cite this Entry

“Revelry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/revelry. Accessed 25 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

revelry

noun
rev·​el·​ry ˈrev-əl-rē How to pronounce revelry (audio)
plural revelries
: rough and noisy merrymaking

More from Merriam-Webster on revelry

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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