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
Disney Cruise Line Disney sails Halloween on the High Seas voyages in September and October, where passengers will find special decor – including a magical Halloween tree – themed desserts and drinks and other festive activities.
—
Nathan Diller, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
Those reforms will come into effect by Diwali in October, a festive period in which consumption tends to pick up in India.
—Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025
Bellinis are a festive drink made with peach puree and champagne.
—Tammy Algood, The Tennessean, 3 Sep. 2025
The atmosphere is festive, with a calendar packed full of music, culture, and food festivals.
—David Nikel, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for festive
Nathan Diller, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
Those reforms will come into effect by Diwali in October, a festive period in which consumption tends to pick up in India.
—Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025
Bellinis are a festive drink made with peach puree and champagne.
—Tammy Algood, The Tennessean, 3 Sep. 2025
The atmosphere is festive, with a calendar packed full of music, culture, and food festivals.
—David Nikel, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for festive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for festive
Adjective
-
From a massive 9-foot fir to a charming 3-foot tabletop tree, score up to 58% off a one-time buy that’ll last for years of merry memories.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Aug. 2025
-
While Materialists sticks to the bounds of its love triangle, Splitsville suggests the more, the merrier.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Instead of its usual jolly cartoons, the channel began broadcasting footage of Russian military parades accompanied by music of the Russian nationalist singer Oleg Gazmanov.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
7 Apr. 2025
-
The same jolly collection also returns to the Top Streaming Albums chart for another year.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes,
4 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
The YouTuber greets everyone — fan on the street, friend, foe, sitting Congressmen, and unsuspecting Rolling Stone staffer — the same, with a cheerful smile and an already rolling camera crew.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
5 Sep. 2025
-
The pet supplement space is crowded with options, many of which have cheerful packaging and confident claims, yet little transparency about efficacy.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Festive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/festive. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share