fay 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of faynext
as in playful
given to good-natured joking or teasing with her slight build and perky manner, the actress was usually cast as the fay young woman who charms all the men in town

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

fay

2 of 2

noun

as in fairy
an imaginary being usually having a small human form and magical powers in the tale a fay appears in the form of a beautiful and serene woman with an angelic air and a billowy gown

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fay
Noun
The series stars McGregor as Count Rostov, a fay member of Czarist Russia’s ruling class, who was living in comfort in his estates until the revolution of 1917 overthrew the old order. — Rob Salkowitz, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025 Almshouse dwellers, sitting in the sun, watching the surging tide and the glistening water, tell of spirits and banshees and fays. — Alexander Sammon, Harper's Magazine, 25 June 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fay
  1. playful
  2. fairy
  3. merry
  4. elf
  5. faerie
  6. goblin
  7. dwarf
Adjective
  • In the Re/Icons clip, Cher tugs at the scarf in a playful reference to the show.
    — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026
  • In their quiet, playful way, quaking bogs connect us, breaking through age and experience with the simple wonder of motion.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of playful
Noun
  • In this case, that’s Haddad’s uncle Charlie (played by a bubbling Jonathan Raviv), who is technically his father’s first cousin, but is also — crucially and non-derogatorily — very much a fairy.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2026
  • But it should be based on tax projections, not procrastination or faith in the retirement account fairy.
    — Ronald Stair, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of fairy
Adjective
  • After tuning up, Batiste led his merry band of musicians to their stage.
    — Marc Lieberman, CBS News, 11 Oct. 2026
  • The friendly staff, who wear black uniforms with lettering that identifies their duties add to the hotel’s merry atmosphere.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of merry
Noun
  • Guests to The Elf Experience will meet one of Santa’s helpers before entering Papa Elf’s storybook and heading to the North Pole to learn about the life of an elf.
    — Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2026
  • In the dark comedy Bad Santa, Thornton plays Willie, a miserable, heavy-drinking con man who dresses up as Santa with his elf sidekick (Tony Cox) to rob department stores on Christmas Eve.
    — Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of elf
Noun
  • Maeve learns that the legends she was raised on — stories of faeries, kelpies and seelies — are actually true.
    — Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 22 May 2026
  • The plays are set in locations as varied as courts, forests, battlefields, and even the realm of faerie.
    — Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026
Definition of faerie
Noun
  • The magical ring that helped Bilbo escape the goblins had become an instrument of addiction and mass political control.
    — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Two years ago, the Man City phenom appeared in a 90-second spot for the game that saw him get recruited to storm a castle teeming with goblins, dragons and impish skeletons.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 26 June 2026
Definition of goblin
Noun
  • While most citrus trees are too large for indoor growing, there are a few small or dwarf varieties of citrus that can be kept indoors year-round in pots.
    — Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 16 Oct. 2026
  • These explosions, known as hypernovas, were first proposed to explain unusual stars in the halo of our galaxy, the Milky Way, and in a neighboring dwarf galaxy.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of dwarf

Browse Nearby Words

fawns
fay
fays
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Cite this Entry

“Fay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fay. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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