as in merry
indicative of or marked by high spirits or good humor
we arrived at the Christmas party to find everyone already in a festive mood, perhaps owing in part to the punch
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 festive
But the mood onboard was festive, with passengers talking to each other about the thrill of joining a new route.
—
Zach Wichter, USA Today, 10 May 2026
The seasonal Saturday Starlight Adventures tour lets guests enjoy festive refreshments along with sunset views and stargazing.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 9 May 2026
Production recently wrapped in Detroit, Michigan, with a plan to release during the 2026 festive season after a festival run.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 8 May 2026
The festival is broken into two halves, with an Intermission Party in between, featuring festive food, creative opportunities, and music, offering a chance to mingle with the artists and fellow guests amid the beauty of the farm.
—News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for festive
Zach Wichter, USA Today, 10 May 2026
The seasonal Saturday Starlight Adventures tour lets guests enjoy festive refreshments along with sunset views and stargazing.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 9 May 2026
Production recently wrapped in Detroit, Michigan, with a plan to release during the 2026 festive season after a festival run.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 8 May 2026
The festival is broken into two halves, with an Intermission Party in between, featuring festive food, creative opportunities, and music, offering a chance to mingle with the artists and fellow guests amid the beauty of the farm.
—News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for festive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for festive
Adjective
-
The picture’s eclectic cast, which included Anouk Aimée, Greta Scacchi and Maximilian Schell (with cameos by Faye Dunaway, Holly Hunter and Jeff Goldblum), swirled its merry way across the grand event in search of romance, fame and the ever-elusive movie deal.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
-
But in the cycling ecosystem, the Rockets are still minnows, a bunch of merry men with a camera — up against teams funded by international business conglomerates and nation states.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
9 May 2026
Adjective
-
The neighborhood Neighboring St Moritz was adopted in the 19th century by all those jolly-hockey-stick Brits, who introduced skiing and tobogganing, but little Sils Maria has always been more cerebral.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Of course, even for me there were still some jolly moments.—
Christine Smallwood,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Behind all the cheerful fanfare, holidays can be bitter pills to swallow, reminders of absence and lack and an inability to live up to all that happy hyperbole.—
Felicia Feaster,
AJC.com,
9 May 2026
-
The speakers were agency veterans from the shrunken regional office who did their best to be cheerful.—
E. Tammy Kim,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Festive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/festive. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
